90210: 2012
by Acrobat Dances a Playful Tune
Summary: A lot's changed in a year, Silver and Ade are at war, Annie and Liam are on a break and the others? Let's just say the transition to College hasn't been that easy.
1. Chapter 1

. . .

This is completely non-canonical, just an interpretation of what could happen so don't read into it too seriously, hope you like it,

Acrobat

X

. . .

**90210: 2012**

"Look at the world of politics today, it remains ladies and gentlemen whether you approve or not a world of middle-aged, balding, incompetent men," the slideshow flashed up images of various world leaders, "and those women that are world leaders – Angela Merkel for example – are portrayed as being bullies and aggressive…"

Silver pinched herself as she blinked for a dangerously long period of time, it wasn't that she didn't love political science but when it was five in the afternoon and she could be at the beach with her friends instead of cooped up in a lecture hall her attention span shrank considerably. She hadn't written notes in thirty minutes, her mind wasn't on the lecture or on College…it was elsewhere…thinking about last year, about West Bev. and how much she missed it.

PICK YOU UP AFTER CLASS? X NAOMI

As covertly as she could she quickly replied and then refocused her attention on the lecture…only another thirty minutes of crap to get through and then she was free for two glorious days…apart from all the reading she had to do. Someone else was talking now; her gaze was drawn across the room to a tall, well-built, strangely-pale guy for someone living in LA.

"Yes Mr Stevenson?"

"Isn't it something of a generalisation to portray all female world leaders in the category of being bullies or being aggressive – there are some quite favourable depictions of leaders, for example Angela Merkel is seen as great diplomat in the Latin American press?" Silver admired the new guy, nice face, nice fashion sense – nice everything! And he was smart, and considering it was college that was a worrying rarity, her phone vibrated again.

HEY HOW ARE YOU, JUST GOT BACK! X

_Navid._ Something had to screw it up.

. . .

"So how is breakfast television?" she asked, briefly scanning the menu before Thai fishcakes grabbed her attention, the billing of sumptuous yet crispy selling the dish to her and making her decision pretty easy.

"Stressful and a world away from actually being a guest on a show but it's a new challenge," Adrianna smiled, "I think I'm gonna go for the-"

"Spaghetti Carbonara? You are so predictable!" They both laughed.

"I can't help it! I have a weakness for pasta! Anyway enough about me and Good Morning LA! How's College, how's Liam?"

Annie paused at the question. How where things with her and Liam? She could lie and say everything was fine, they were loved up and she was expecting a proposal any day or she could be truthful and tell her that they weren't talking to one another, they'd been having fights and that Ivy was acting as an intermediary between them while they were cooling off.

"He's fine, the Drama classes are…relaxed, I got a cameo role in the new Natalie Portman film, I might actually get to meet her," she calmed herself and allowed a façade of tranquillity to descend over her – no point in getting worried about something that would probably resolve itself in a few days, "I saw Navid landed a couple of hours ago, wonder how things with his dad went?"

Adrianna stiffened, "Guess you'd better ask Silver about that." she hailed a Waiter with her hand and he swiftly glided over to her, Navid was her ex – why bother caring he'd moved on and she'd been a bitch to him…she'd become self-centred and a walking disaster area after the whole Javier scandal; her life was back on track now and she was actually starting to be successful and happy again – she didn't have time to get involved with Navid.

Annie ordered her food and then regarded Adrianna again.

"Have you even thought about speaking to Silver?"

"Would you speak to her if she'd slept with Liam while you were going out with him?" Annie didn't allow the irony of the statement to phase her – that she'd done exactly what Navid had done to Adrianna when she'd slept with Liam whilst dating Charlie, she hadn't told them that part, she couldn't tell them that part.

"I'd be mad sure but I mean we used to be like the four musketeers I mean don't you want to get back to that?"

"Annie you three are in college and I'm presenting a Breakfast TV Show every morning, friendships change and people move on…it's nice to have you and Naomi but I don't need Silver, she betrayed me in the worst way possible, I just don't see the point in making up with her."

. . .

He didn't love in a revolving restaurant but the room was spinning regardless, gingerly he got up and looked at himself in the mirror, bleary eyed and resembling a lion-tamer that had had a run in with one of the lions.

_Last time I stay out past three._

Even as he said it to himself he realized it didn't make a difference, he'd be staying out every night if that's what Marco wanted to do, sometimes he wondered if they did too much together…working out together, jogging on the beach together, classes together…he hardly saw anyone else outside Marco's group of friends. He still saw Dixon but only when they were both at the Apartment…he missed the West Bev. crowd, sometimes all he wanted was to be back in Senior Year.

"Morning," yelled Dixon, setting Teddy's hyper-sensitive ears on fire, he then shied away as Dixon flung the curtains open casting the glorious LA sun into the room, "another late night?"

Teddy nodded, following Dixon out into the living area, half walking and half shuffling. He grabbed the nearest glass and filled it to the top with water, downing it all before even thinking about talking to his friend, not that it did much good, it'd take a miracle to clear his head now. College had changed everything, they'd all said they'd stay in touch but they hadn't, sure he saw Annie occasionally when she came to visit, but Naomi, Silver, Ade, Navid, Liam…it was like they'd just walked out of his life and left him there.

"What's on your mind?" Dixon prodded. Teddy looked like a wreck, he'd gone from High School stud to…to what amounted to a male version of Ke$ha but with less grunge involved, he was out every other night, never saw anyone except Marco or their friends and Dixon was pretty certain Teddy had missed a lot of classes.

"That I never see you guys anymore," he admitted, "at first it just seemed like being a good boyfriend and spending time with Marco…now it's like all I do is spend time with him…I mean…I love him with all my heart but sometimes I need my space you know?"

Dixon nodded solemnly, "You ever ask him about it?"

"I didn't want to make things awkward – what are you doing today anyway?"

"Surf's good, though I might head down to the beach, see if Ivy can lure Liam out of hibernation."

"What's the matter with him?"

What wasn't the matter would've been a better question. Dixon spoke or saw his sister most days but she'd been pretty cagey about the whole situation, Liam had mirrored, as far as he understood it they'd both done something wrong – it takes two to tango – but he'd never seen Liam like this before, closed of and shutting everyone out, and worse Annie didn't seem too worried or upset about it. Every time he tried to raise the subject she just shot him down, it was like her and Jasper all over again, all she could tell him was that everything was fine and there was nothing the matter. The only person Liam was still talking to was Ivy and even then it was more like grunting – as Ivy billed it anyway. He wondered if there was anything he could have done as a friend but then reminded himself that it was Liam – once he formed friendships and trust he got protective over them, he wouldn't throw them away without reason.

"There's just some stuff that went on with him and my sister…details are pretty sketchy but there both in bad places," Dixon looked to change the subject and his nose gave him what he needed, "when was the last time you had a shower? You stink man!"

. . .

"You know what Dominique just run off to your fancy condo in the Hills and when you realize what a spoiled bitch you're being we'll talk!" she slammed the phone down on the receiver and let out a long, exasperated scream. Why did her mum have to choose now to go to Europe on a 40-day tour and leave her helming the Record Label, especially when she had to deal with brats like Dominique?

_One freaking Number One Single and suddenly she thinks she's Britney or something. _

She must have been dreaming.

"Hi babe – I'm back," her mom's mellow tones called out, her footsteps came closer and she walked into the office – she wasn't dreaming, her mom was home, "what's the matter, someone giving you a hard time?"

"The little she devil you know as Dominique," she snapped angrily, "she wants a 15% raise and a new three-Album deal or she's moving to Epic Records." She paused, "How was Europe?"

"Great but I decided Germany wasn't for me so I thought I'd come home early and surprise my babe – guessing it's been tough holding down the fort?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," she protested immediately, "but yeah…not exactly how I'd like to spend my time, anyway I'm gonna go down to the beach so I'll see you later?" Without waiting for an answer she buzzed past her mom, heading straight for her car.

"See you for dinner?"

. . .

Anger.

The emotion he most understood and comprehended in the whole world, it could be his ally or his enemy depending on the day. Today it was his enemy, confusing him between anger at himself or at Annie for what had happened. His entire world had fallen apart and he didn't know why, whether there was some great entity somewhere mocking him or whether it was psychological and somehow his emotions had lead him here…a relationship based on a one night-stand just wasn't feasible. They'd ignored it for a while at first…that they'd slept together whilst Annie was dating Charlie…but then there had come a point where they couldn't…Annie had just been obsessed over what she'd done to Charlie and how immoral their relationship was…Liam had said some things he now regretted. And he couldn't deal with them…he just needed to lie in the darkness and fester for longer. His greatest foe.

The doorbell droned around his ears as he grudgingly rose from his bed and moved to answer the door – _Ivy_. The petite one-time fling of his had her overrule look on – the one that said I'm getting you out of her whether you're going to be a jerk about it or not.

"Get your suit and board, the surf's of the scale today – and Dixon and Teddy are going so it's not like it'd just be us two and I know you're going through some stuff but maybe surfing will take your mind of it or clear your head or something, sitting in the dark all day isn't gonna help you at all you'll just get depressed and miserable and I can't deal with that anymore, so are you gonna come with me or do I need to like drag you or something?"

"I don't need your help Ivy," he said, moving too slowly to stop her moving into the apartment, "can you please just leave already – I'm not in the mood for an intervention."

"If this was an intervention you'd already be in the car and on your way to the beach, this is a friend asking you to go to the beach with her and you know if you don't agree she'll just make pathetic little puppy dog eyes at you." Ivy mock puppy-eyed him, adding a little whimper to it.

"Fine." He grumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Ivy prodded mock-surprised.

"I'll come just give me a couple of minutes to get my things."

. . .

"You know you're gonna have to talk to him at some point Silver," Naomi said as she slurped the last of her ice coffee from the bottom of the plastic cup, hurling the garbage out of the car at the recycling bin, "you owe him that much."

"I'm fairly sure that he ruined my friendship with Ade so I don't really owe him anything." Silver retorted, annoyed by the comment. "When did you become Team Navid anyway – it was only a couple of months ago that you were telling me to go and rip his head off and never speak to him again."

"People change," she responded swiftly, "me and Annie have been talking Silver, what happened last year changes things but you need Navid, having everything happen between you and Teddy didn't help but Navid is a decent guy, and you two loved one another it wasn't just because of how Ade treated him – you two had a chemistry together and I just-"

"-just what Naomi? Want us all to play nicely, me to make up with Navid and then with Ade? I'm sorry Naomi but this isn't High School anymore – Ade publicly humiliated me and then didn't talk to me for months and then when I finally get out of Rehab and start college instead of being my side to reassure me Navid jets of to see his father after not talking to him because he was a child pornographer – so forgive me if I'm not in the mood to try and make things up with them!"

"It was just a suggestion because the way you two are behaving is putting a massive strain on me and Annie – neither of us want to be in the middle of all this and since we hardly ever see the boys anymore you and Adrianna are the only ones we have left at the moment and we want to rely on one another completely and your crappy little feud isn't helping." Shouted Naomi allowing venom to drip through her words as she poured out all her frustration of recent months. It was harsh but it needed saying, they couldn't go on like this.

"I'm sorry but I never asked you and Annie to stick by me through this, you know what Naomi you and Annie just go on peace-making because I'm done," she opened the door and got out, grabbing her back as she went, "call me once you've given up on me ever being friends with Ade again."


	2. Chapter 2

**90210: 2012**

The coffee shop was the eye of the storm.

Everything seemed so calm with a steaming hot black coffee, there was no Adrianna, no Naomi or Annie campaigning for them to get back together, she could just forget about everything here and blend into the crowd. She usually came here when she had a big essay to do or a mountain of research, it was surprising what a good cup of coffee and no interruptions did for your work ethic. That said she preferred it when she could retreat her in solitude, even if she only had another half hour before she'd have to leave and then go back to her apartment. These were the days when she wished they could go back to West Bev. when they could all be friends again, even with all the drama she wouldn't have missed sitting down with Teddy after Ian betrayed him or helping Naomi after Cannon or even…or even Ade when she was being a Popstar bratty bitch – at least they had been friends. Now they couldn't go back, it wasn't her pride talking – there wasn't any necessity to maintaining the feud beyond how awful she felt with herself: how she could never get back to being slightly quirky yet untainted Silver. She'd cheated – she'd been the other woman, the whore, and she could never take it back. _Ever._

"Someone's had a hard day," murmured a silky, deep voice, she brought her head up and locked eyes with the hazel-eyed guy from her class, he pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down with his own coffee, "a mug of black coffee and a glazed over stare into space…sorry I'm Tom." He awkwardly stuck out his hand to shake with her, Silver gingerly returned the favour.

"Silver." She looked back out across the street through the window, allowing herself to slip into day dream before she was once more rudely brought back to reality.

"So since we both had to suffer through that political science class want to tell me why you're sat here stewing on a Friday night? You seemed pretty happy after you got that text."

Silver laughed at that, "Damn it – knew someone had seen me, what gave it away the tilt?"

"The tilt." He concurred, they both laughed, "You dodged the question – touchy subject?"

"Girl stuff." She replied non-committed.

"I can do girl stuff," he apprised convincingly, "when you grow up as the only brother in a household of six sisters you tend to learn to deal with it – I'm guessing it's a friend right? Have you spoken to them?" he quizzed.

"Erm…it's not exactly something that's easy to talk to her about, I kissed and then slept with her boyfriend – which was awful," she paused as she weighed up the merits and demerits to telling a complete – if very attractive – stranger the ins and outs of her relationship with Adrianna: if you could call it that, "sorry this is…this is weird isn't it? Offloading to some guy from my classes right?"

"Depends – do you think I'm gonna be some guy for much longer, or just some guy that gave you his number and asked to take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"

_Oh you're a smoooooooooooth operator. _

Silver entertained the thought for a second, "My life's pretty hectic at the moment," she grabbed her satchel and rose to leave, grabbing the serviette and producing a pen, scribbling down her number on it, "tell you what, let's leave it for tomorrow night but you can call me and we'll set something up later okay? I just need a little time to clear my head."

She placed the serviette and without waiting for a reply left the shop.

. . .

"I thought you said home-cooked meal?" Dixon joked as Ivy entered, obscured by several pizzas.

"Dude these are home-cooked…by my uncle…Giovanni," the three guys laughed as she dumped the pizzas on the floor and they hungrily devoured them, "man I wiped out like three times – I definitely have not been surfing enough, we're gonna have to start going more often you guys!"

Teddy nodded in agreement, finishing of a slice of pepperoni, "Is it possible for a guy to be under the thumb when the other person's a guy? I seriously need to get out more and besides I need a decent sport credit if I'm gonna pass this year – thought I might look at the College Surf Team, Dixon I thought you were gonna try out?"

"Well I did but I got rejected," he admitted reluctantly, "my mind was kinda elsewhere the day of the tryouts though, besides there were other guys that were better than me and I'm trying to concentrate on my studies."

"You are turning into such a dork man!" Ivy took another bite out of her Veggie Supreme pizza, deciding to peel of some highly suspect mushrooms – if that's what they were – that had been sprinkled on the left hand side of the pizza, "I can't believe you slipped straight back into it man – I'd kill to have that skill."

She'd been talking to Liam but you wouldn't have known it, he still had his head down, eating his pizza and not paying attention to the ongoing conversation, one by one they focused upon him – concern bubbling underneath the surface.

"Liam man I know what happened was bad but we're still here for you…" said Teddy, allowing his words to trail away as Liam finally looked up at them.

He finally spoke, "Look Dixon I know she's your sister and Ivy I know she's your friend but…but…I couldn't take it anymore, she just couldn't stop talking about Charlie, about how guilty she felt after he left for Paris, about how guilty she felt that she'd cheated – after the first week I got it, she was _guilty_ but she wouldn't stop and the worst part is she wanted me to feel sorry for him – for the guy that pretty much ruined my life – I wouldn't feel sorry for him and I couldn't be around her, so sorry if I'm not in the talkative mood but I'm sure you'd feel pretty crappy if the person you'd loved for years cared more about your," he paused as though it pained him to say it, "_half brother_ who ruined your life than about you, when you were her boyfriend."

Ivy spoke before the other two, allowing soothing tones to permeate her words in her usual ethereal, surfer girl style.

"We get it man, she put your through hell but, you can't store up all this anger inside of you – it isn't good for you, and you can't keep staying cooped up like you have been for the past few months," she counselled, "maybe it should just be little things first, just some surfing with us once a week, maybe go bowling or see a movie or something – just to take your mind of it. Maybe someday you'll work things out but until then you need to get out of this rut."

For a moment everything hung in the balance, how was he going to react to Ivy's pep-talk, Liam had been unpredictable at the best of times but he was worse now, the combination of the loss of Annie and how he'd lost her impacting a lot upon him, whether he'd admit it too freely or not.

"Okay." He murmured.

"Okay?" Dixon asked tentatively.

"Okay," Liam reaffirmed, "now pass me the Pepperoni, I'm not too crazy about the 'mystery meat' on my pizza!"

. . .

"I swear it was like she literally couldn't stand me, I've never seen her like this before – I mean even when we went through our period of mutual loathing we were never like this…Annie maybe we're just going to have to accept that Silver and Ade can't be friends again…" Naomi sipped at her wine as she regarded her friend, looking out across the city towards the distantly setting sun. "Are you okay?"

Annie turned round and shrugged her shoulders.

"She has her TV career you know," she shrugged again, "I guess Ade's just concentrating on that first, I kinda didn't feel like I was having lunch with my friend as much as doing an interview with a celebrity or something…she isn't vain or conceited or anything…she's just…weird, and not in the mood to patch things up with Silver."

"Then what can we do?" Naomi asked.

"I guess we'll just have to sit this one out, the only person I'd thought about talking to was Teddy actually," Annie clued-up, putting her wine down on the table, "I though since he has a bond with them he might be able to bring them better: he knows them better than us, maybe they just need to hear a different voice."

Naomi nodded, "Guess it's worth a try, and how are he and Dixon nowadays?"

"I talk to Dixon a lot but Teddy doesn't seem to be there, I think he's just finding his feet with Marco, guess it can't be easy being in your first real committed relationship – it's a whole different ball game," Annie paused, "do you want to see Teddy or should I?"

"I have a Benefit Dinner tomorrow night but I'm free in the day – we could see him and Marco for lunch," she let the sentence hang long enough for it to sound like a question and to extract a concurrent nod from Annie, "and I've been meaning to see Ivy too, I guess with College and everything we just haven't really focused on our friendships, sometimes I wonder if we're losing everyone…"

"We all knew College would mean spending less time together," Annie reminded, "but I guess I do miss the guys, sunbathing on the beach all day…and the parties…"

"And Liam?" Naomi prompted, "Annie whatever went on you can tell me, I don't judge – god knows I've probably done worse things."

Annie turned away and looked out again towards the fuchsia sunset, the glowing amber orb dropping ever lower below the horizon; soon it would be gone altogether: could she tell Naomi? Maybe it would help clear her conscience – liberate her from the constraint she'd been under for so long…but saying it would be admitting it to herself and then the guilt would be back, that never ending voice pounding in her head…did she want that?

She looked at Naomi again.

"Before me and Liam started dating…officially…we slept together…whilst I was dating Charlie," Naomi didn't seem moved at first so Annie took it as a sign to continue, "at first it was fine…I was head over heels in love with Liam and wanted to spend all my time with him, we did everything together and it was great – fantastic. Then it hit me…the guilt…how Charlie must have felt to know that I'd slept with his brother, how we'd gotten together…it just felt so wrong and I let that guilt consume me and then I started saying things to Liam and…and…" tears were welling in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks and suddenly she was on the floor in a heap, sobbing hysterically. She felt Naomi wrap her arms around her comfortingly and shush her with soothing words. As soon as it had started the worst was over, she wiped at her eyes and cleaned them with a wipe.

Naomi spoke to her again, Annie could hear her now, "It's okay, I understand…if things weren't complicated I'd have been surprised," Annie allowed herself a laugh, "why don't you stay here tonight, we'll eat ice cream, watch some Disney films and just talk about old times: I'll get my photo albums from upstairs and we can look back at Senior Year, how's that sound?"

"Good," Annie murmured, Naomi stood up to leave, "Naomi," she stopped, "you're a true friend, you know a few years ago I'd have never expected it but you've been the one friend that's been with me through everything."

"Same to you," Naomi smiled devilishly, "now what to watch first Snow White or Cinderella, and do you want Mint Choc Chip or Vanilla or some Ben & Jerry's, I think there's some fish food at the back of the freezer?"

. . .

Teddy squinted as he shuffled forward to answer the door to the apartment, the glare of the morning sunlight was hurting his drowsy eyes and Dixon was out on a morning run, slowly he undid the locks and finally opened the door and was nearly knocked over as Navid bounced in the room – clearly either high or more likely full of six cans of Red Bull that were staving of the impact of the jet-lag induced by the difference in time zone between his father's home overseas and his more permanent home in California.

"Hey man," Teddy croaked hoarsely, "any reason you're here so early?" He yawned loudly.

"I text Dixon and he said you'd be up, I thought I'd come round and see how you are, how things are going – seems like more than a month since I was last here," Navid mused, walking around the living area of the apartment before slumping into one of the armchairs and reclining regally, "have you done something to the place?"

Teddy was still pissed about Dixon telling Navid he'd be up to be really awake and alert, he finally twigged he'd been asked a question and responded, "Yeah new wallpaper, Dixon didn't like the old stuff and to be honest I couldn't have blamed him – sorry I'm not too awake man, there's been a few late nights and I haven't really caught up on my Zs yet!"

"No worries man, why don't you get dressed and we can go grab some coffee?" Navid suggested.

He really wanted to tell Navid to come back in a couple of hours but considering he hadn't been back in a month and Teddy only really had himself to blame for another consecutive late night he reneged upon that idea.

"Sure man, whatever let's go, just give me a few minutes to freshen up."

. . .

This was the moment that scared her the most. Five minutes to airtime.

_Wake-Up LA!_ had only been introduced six months previously and the departure of the original female co-host had needed somebody fresh-faced and young to fill the slot, she'd taken up the audition but her previous reputation in the media had practically landed the job in her lap. She was nervous, that was true but then she always was and everything was always fine once she got on her feet. She was paired with a gorgeous South African co-host Alexander, he had muscles…everywhere, a fantastic face and smile, was interested in music and theatre and television…he was basically her ideal man…the only issue? He was a complete _dick_.

"Oh I see they found you a dress that doesn't make your ass look fat, they really can work miracles in HD huh?" he mocked vindictively as he settled on the sofa alongside her, dressed in shirtsleeves and pebble-gray suit trousers complete with fashion braces. She looked into the tanned face and deep emerald eyes and half considered breaking his nose, resisting it as one of the crew came on to tell them thirty seconds. She leaned in closer than was reasonably possible for people who weren't involved together and plastered her face with a fake, inviting smile, Alexander mirroring. Somebody held up the five seconds sign and in her peripheral visions he saw the live broadcast sign come to life.

"Good morning and welcome to Wake-Up LA with Alexander Van Outen." She enunciated clearly, reading of the teleprompt.

"And Adrianna Tate-Duncan," continued her co-host, "on today's Saturday edition we have interviews with the cast of Twilight: Breaking Dawn, the healthy ways to feed your family for only twenty dollars a week and in the studio live with an exclusive performance of hit single _Hearts and Spades_ it's Dominique Viziers."

Adrianna smiled as the girl that had cost her, her music career waltzed into the studio settling on the sofa opposite her dressed in a dress that was beyond revealing and was of a rather unfortunate design so that Adrianna could see all too well that she was wearing very little under there.

"Welcome to the show Dominique," Adrianna greeted warmly, "so obviously you're here not just to promote your new single but you also have some exclusive news to tell our viewers?"

"Thank you for having me," she said in a mildly French-accented tone, "yes well obviously _Hearts & Spades_ is currently the Number One Single simultaneously in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Malaysia and Australia and I am so grateful to my fans for giving me such success and warm reception even in overseas markets but also I have just been offered the chance to record the theme for the new James Bond Film due next year!"

"Exciting stuff," Alexander interjected, "so you'll be joining the ranks of the greats – Madonna, Alicia Keys and Tina Turner – how does it feel to be walking in the Hall of Heroes after only three singles released?"

She mock-paused as though she hadn't already pre-rehearsed answers, Adrianna stared at the girl and felt nothing but rage toward her, maybe she was projecting her feelings about Silver onto Dominique but somehow everything about the girl was so annoying – she was younger, thinner and arguably more talented in song-writing than Adrianna had been, but she was just extraordinarily lucky, the Bond theme song had actually been offered to Rihanna and then Justin Bieber who had both had to decline due to commitments, the producers had only visited Dominique third and even then they were still trying to set up contracts with Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez to take over the role. The temptation to expose this to the world was a strong one but Adrianna resisted – she had had her career ruined, she wouldn't ruin someone else's – unless of course they antagonized her.

"…I just hope that I'm up to the challenge." She finished saying as Adrianna rejoined the action, focusing back on the teleprompt.

"So Dominique two Number One singles under your belt, an album produced by Red One and the James Bond Theme in the pipeline – is there anything else left for you to do?" she asked mock-adoringly, paying the girl far more interest than she rightfully deserved.

Again she paused to maintain the pretence, "I honestly haven't thought that far ahead, I just want to get my album released, I'm touring with Katy Perry in July and then I'm making a guest appearance in _Glee _later in the year: maybe it's television?" The trio laughed, "Who knows!"

"Lovely," Alexander addressed, "now when we come back we'll be chatting to Ashley Green and Kellan Lutz about the final chapter in the Vampire Epic that we've all followed adoringly since Twilight was released in cinemas way back in 2008."

Sometimes even a six-figure pay-cheque didn't value the pain of dealing with teen stars.


	3. Chapter 3

**90210:2012**

"I didn't even know I guy could be under another guy's thumb? Does it work like that?"

"Man I don't even know," Teddy admitted, sipping at his ice tea, "all I know is I've been spending too much time with Marco, I guess I just want everything to be perfect you know…it's been a year but I'm still a little shaken up after Ian – finding it hard to…be myself."

"Got you," Navid nodded knowingly, "there's a Persian proverb about how a turtle can only be itself once its relaxed out of its shell…or maybe it's when its relaxed into its shell," Teddy was fighting hard to stifle a snigger, "point is man you should just talk to Marco about, I mean I'm sure he'll be reasonable right?"

Teddy shrugged, was Marco going to be reasonable? They had such chemistry and such a good bond and such a good…_thing…an amazing relationship_. But what was the point of a relationship that was amazing if you didn't have anyone to share it with? No-one to shout at from the rooftops proclaiming your undying and everlasting love? "Guess he'll have to be, how's your dad?"

"He's…living as regally as you'd expect for a child pornographer on the run…I mean he pays to keep mom and my sisters in the house but things are hard. Mom can't forgive him for running away and Dad can't come back for…well for obvious reasons, he was happy to see me, introduce me to some old family friends but it just felt like a sham…like I wasn't really in my father's home, like it was a show home and I was an honoured guest rather than a son…it was weird, leave it at that." Navid poured himself another glass of iced tea and thirstily gulped it down. "I don't suppose you've spoken to Ade or to Silver have you?"

"Can't say I have man, Ade's doing _Wake Up LA! _and Silver's in classes, what's going on with you guys anyway, Silver wouldn't give me a straight answer when I text her so I just kinda left things up in the air?" Teddy enquired, it might not have been love as he knew it now but he and Silver were like brother and sister at least in bond, he let the thought slip away as he realized his phone was vibrating.

HEY, LONG TIME NO SPEAK, FANCY MEETING ME AND ANNIE FOR LUNCH TODAY? BRING MARCO WE'LL MAKE A DATE OF IT! XXX

_Naomi? What did she want?_

"Who's the text from?" Navid asked, deflecting Teddy's question.

"Naomi she wants to meet for lunch today with me and Marco," he looked at the time of his phone and cursed under his breath, "man I hadn't seen the time, I'm gonna have to go but we'll catch up later – few drinks tonight at the beach club, I'll text Liam and Dixon?" He was rising to his feet and already turning to leave as Navid replied:

"Sure thing bro…see you then."

. . .

She couldn't admit it.

Clothes shopping was above all else girly…and materialistic…and…and everything that Ivy hated about being girl, looking at shoes that she didn't need and dresses that she'd never wear and shirts and jeans that would make her ass look like ripe little watermelons…and falling completely and utterly head over heels in love with everything. She hated shopping with Naomi! Despite the pretence of being a surfer chick and being all anti making an effort for the guys she had been steadily increasing her girliness until now she could undergo an entire tour of LAs most exclusive boutiques without once feeling the need to vomit.

"Remind me again why you need this dress?" she asked as she handed an almost identical dress, this time in sapphire over the door into Naomi's dressing room.

"Because I'm meeting Teddy and Marco today and I need something that says…wow," she let the 'ow' sound trail on forever, "and besides I don't have any new dresses for summer, I mean I ruined half of them when I tried to do the laundry myself!"

Ivy didn't say anything.

"Are you making a disapproving look," _crap she knows me too well_, "because I know you hate the whole dress-shopping thing but it's one of the only ways I get to spend time with you now, do you have that ruby one?"

Ivy handed it over, placing the sapphire one back on the railing.

"How exactly do you ask Teddy to try and get Ade and Silver to be friends again? Its lovely having lunch with you and your boyfriend by the way I need you to get my bestfriends to be bestfriends again, pass the salt?" Ivy laughed goofily, "Did you ever consider maybe they're better of not being friends – besides you aren't even talking to Silver!"

"Details my dear Ivy, details," announced Naomi as she flung open the door to the dressing room, admiring the dress in the mirror, "I'll take this one," she paused, "and the other two – a girl never can have too many dresses when its gala season. Are you still hung up about Liam, you got him to come out of his apartment – that counts for something."

Ivy nodded half-heartedly, "He's just being difficult, he needs to patch things up with Annie or make a clean break because it isn't healthy for him to be in limbo you know? And it isn't just Liam, mom's getting me to help out at the Label and some of the kids are so bratty – like that Dominique girl: such a brat!"

"Totally bratty," Naomi agreed in mock-surfer, "so I'll go buy these and then I'll have to get off for lunch, are you okay for a ride or do you want me to drop you back at your moms, it's…well it isn't exactly on my route but I'll make a special detour for you."

"It's cool, my cars a couple of blocks away – I could do with the fresh air, take my mind of current problems."

. . .

"Darling that was magnificent," cooed Christian, the flamboyant, literally larger than life producer of _Wake Up LA!_ as he stood behind her dressing table in her dressing room, "thanks to you Kellan Lutz agreed to book a shirtless interview next month for his new film…that and it needs the promotion, it's going to be a colossal flop but viewers do love a shirtless beau at nine in the morning, am I right?" He seemed to clock Adrianna's behaviour, "Sweetie what's wrong, something on your mind?"

"Friend trouble." She murmured as her make-up artist peeled away the layers of make-up she was wearing to get her down to a more natural styling, "We fell out over a boy and neither of us are willing to say sorry for what we did, we're at an impasse."

"This isn't to do with that gossip about you and Kim Kardashian having a Twitter war is it because that would be perfect for next Thursday's social networking segment – in fact I think I have Kim's number somewhere: I can see it now, stars bury hatchet live in front of millions!" he seemed to drift away into a fantasy, dreaming of the ratings spike of two celebrities signing a peace treaty live on air, it seemed a shame to shoot him down.

Adrianna shook her head, "That's all crap blown out of proportion by Perez Hilton, with my old friends – from High School?"

"Oh," he sighed, "well onwards and upwards sweetie – big things planned, big things – and don't worry about this too much, we don't want frown lines do we?" Christian smiled and turned and left, immediately passing Alexander as he entered the room, walking over with the annoying cocky swagger that ruined an otherwise perfect relationship match.

"You were good today," he praised, Adrianna felt as though she'd been slapped round the face, "your handling of Dominique and the Twilight cast – impressive, I didn't give you enough credit."

"You just said something nice – am I dreaming? Because the past few weeks you've been a colossal dick!" she returned acidly, rising form her seat to face him rather than simply make eye contact through the mirror – adversarial was much more her style.

He smirked.

"True I have been a bit of a jerk, why don't you let me take you out to dinner and make up for it?" Adrianna frowned again – something stank about this, why was he suddenly being nice to her, "My treat?"

"No ulterior motives? Cards on the table?"

"It's just dinner Adrianna." He reminded.

"Fine, pick me up at 8." He nodded and left her too herself.

That was too weird, either he wants something or he has a plan in mind – or both – she'd dated enough weird guys in her time to know when they were lying and Alexander was behaving shiftily, not that he knew she knew she'd rather he think he had her within his grasp – all the sweeter when she could shoot his plan down in flames and leave him by the roadside – road kill underneath her career train as it thundered on to success station at the end of the line, a shrinking distance thanks to the amazing platform she had to catapult herself into the homes of millions across LA. She was now one of the most recognized faces in the country and had had magazine covers, she was on top again. Nothing would stop her now.

. . .

Teddy leaned over and pecked Marco on the lips, his boyfriend returned the kiss warmly but it felt different somehow, like there was something unspoken between them. This was why he'd left early for lunch, so they'd have time to talk. Teddy leaned back in his seat and waited, counting the seconds until one of them said something.

"I was thinking-" they both began, or in words to that affect, Teddy gestured for Marco to continue, "Teddy I…I really like you and I love spending time with you but maybe…maybe I've been a little selfish, you need to spend time with your friends and with other guys than just me – I shouldn't have monopolized your attention for so long and well…well I'm sorry, you're just…you're a real catch Teddy and I…I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

Teddy smiled warmly, "Seriously Marco you don't have to worry – nothing is going to make me leave you, nothing – I'm in this for long haul," he stroked his boyfriend's shoulder playfully, "I hope you get that…anyway I have a feeling this lunch might have an ulterior motive so just bear with Annie and Naomi – their up to something."

Marco nodded and laughed, then leaned in for a kiss, this time the reaction was electric – their spark was there again as they kissed and Teddy almost wanted to just tear his clothes of right there and make love with Marco but…being in a parking lot didn't seem like the right place for it, maybe after lunch would be better?

. . .

It was the guilt that stung at him.

Charlie had saved him, protected him from a whole summer of beatings and yet he still blamed his half-brother for ruining his relationship with Annie, blamed him for being the better person and being everything Annie had wanted, blamed him for taking Annie from him…his mind was so messed up…everything in tangles and knots: he couldn't focus properly. Charlie had let him get beat – once – and taken beatings the rest of that summer, and he'd never even given him a chance to explain why he framed him: it had made sense at the same time – maybe that was his anger?

Then Liam had slept with Annie, sure there had been the emotional impetus behind it but at the same time maybe it wasn't just love…maybe there was something truly evil at his core, maybe his step-father had been right to send him to military camp? Was he really that messed up? The whole world seemed to have been turned head-over-heels and he couldn't centre himself anymore – how could he blame his half-brother? Because Charlie was the reason he and Annie had broken up…or were on a break anyway, because Annie had been consumed by guilt for what she'd done to his brother…and she couldn't see past her guilt to see how it was affecting Liam? Didn't she get that he felt like crap? That it was worse for him since he'd driven away the one family member he had left?

The doorbell ringing brought him back to his senses, he wandered in a haze to the door and lazily opened up, ready to tear the head off whoever was on the other side.

"Hey, can I come in?"

. . .

"So wait do we say like how are you _two_, or you make _such_ a cute couple or…or…how do we ask how they're doing – never really spoke to him when it was him and Ian they kinda ended so quickly?" Annie asked nervously, looking down at the menu and then up suddenly to make sure they weren't snuck up on.

"Oh relax," schooled Naomi wisely, "I've met like a billion gay couples – although one of them usually wasn't gay by the end of the holiday," Annie made a mime of throwing up over the side of the table, "my point is just be yourself, I mean you can't make too many faux pas in front of a gay couple right?"

"Look there they are!"

Naomi scanned them as they walked – hand-in-hand – toward them, Marco in some skinny jeans and a retro t-shirt complemented by leather jacket, modelling some bracelets and wristbands – was one of them a Lady Gaga bangle? – whereas Teddy was more..._butch_, skinny's like Marco but with a cheque shirt – blue and yellow – and wearing a pair of vans, definitely more masculine than Marco's well-worn flip-flops.

"Hey." They chorused, rising to greet the boys, swopping mildly awkward hugs before settling into the seats, the feeling of Teddy's rippling muscles made Naomi regret she hadn't spent the night with him before he'd come out, Silver had spoken at length about his…skills in that department. "How are you?" she asked as they seated themselves.

"Good," Marco replied swiftly, "thanks for asking us out to lunch, I guessed I should try and get to know some of Teddy's friends better…I mean its been like a year and I haven't really…bonded with you guys like I should have."

"The feeling is mutual," Annie smiled, "although," she looked at Naomi for encouragement, she simply nodded, "we actually had an ulterior motive for asking you here…you see our friends Adrianna and Silver are fighting and…well…Teddy kinda knows them pretty well…"

Teddy groaned, "We were involved…"

Marco started sniggering, "Oh god…one of them is that chick that does the breakfast show and the other one has the whole _Veronica Mars_ investigator complex thing right?"

Annie and Naomi both collapsed into laughter at that point – since when had Teddy become so sweeping in his summaries of his exes: his two most prolific exes, if he was summarising all his exes he'd have a list of hundreds stretching of into the distance…at least the couple seemed relaxed enough.

"Yeah…those two…" Teddy turned back to the girls, "I just…I just don't know what I can say exactly…I haven't really spoken to them properly in a while but I mean when everything went down last year I thought it'd all blow over…I guess they just kinda let the wound get infected or something…their friendship just soured…maybe it's time to just accept that."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" fired up Naomi, "Any friendship can just be fixed it just needs people to meddle with the situation!"

"Do you really believe that? Maybe you should just try and let them work it out on their own?" Marco suggested, "I mean we're not kids anymore – besides maybe just because they're saying they don't want to be friends doesn't mean deep down that isn't exactly what they want, you know?"

Naomi paused looking for how to respond, "Teddy will you say something to them?"

"I can talk to them," he responded coolly, "but that's all, I'm not gonna force them to do something they don't want to…lunch was a nice idea but maybe it'd be better another time…," Teddy rose and Marco mirrored, "nice to see you Annie, maybe next time?"

"Teddy," a low voice murmured, Teddy's face was a mixture of surprise and shock as he turned around, "what are you doing here, I thought you were surfing today with your friends?" His dad's eyes moved from Teddy to Marco and then down to their hands, clasped tightly together – the link not loosening, "Who's…who's your friend?"

. . .

Getting involved in the family business usually meant a part-time job at the family restaurant…not in Cooper Household though, getting involved meant rushing around LA meeting up and coming record producers and artists, scheduling artists in for studio time and arranging meetings. Of course that was the worst part when after a girly shopping trip that you've been trying to convince yourself is horrific when in fact you love it, you then receive a text from your mom telling you that she has a new really hot artist she wants you to meet and you might now him but I'm not going to tell you his name cause it needs to be a surprise.

She vaulted over the side of her car and ambled up to the door, opening it and yelling out for her mom – no response. Typical of mom to disappear far into the labyrinthine house, Ivy checked out the normal places before heading out into the backyard – if you could call a massive courtyard a backyard? She could see her mom now sat with her back to her, talking to the guy, he was slim and fair-haired: somehow she did recognize him from somewhere.

"Hey Ivy," yelled her mom spying her, "come meet my new signing," Ivy reluctantly accelerated to draw level with her, "his name's Ian – says he went to West Bev. with you?"

If her jaw could've dropped any lower she'd be halfway to China.

"Weird she's actually speechless!"

"Hey Ivy, guess I'm back!"

. . .

_Cliff-hanger – hopefully this'll keep you satisfied till next weekend when the next chapter should be up, it's all drama on the West Coast,_

_Acrobat _

_X _


	4. Chapter 4

**90210: 2012**

"Friendship – it's something that we all struggle with throughout our lives, I've probably struggled more than most with my friends but it's having that core unit that you can call upon all around you that helps you through the dark times – so you always know there's a light at the end of the tunnel," she turned toward camera 3 – the close-up – allowing her smile to become slightly fuller, warmer – more endearing as her coach would have reminded her, "of course it isn't something that everyone understands too well – after the break we'll have two of Hollywood's biggest stars coming in to talk about the trials and tribulations of friendship, you know them as the stars of MTV's _The Hills_ – Lauren Conrad and Audrina Partridge."

"Nice work darling," praised Christian adoringly, "take five everyone!"

Adrianna settled back into her perch on the sofa alongside Alexander, bending down and taking a sip from her water and then placing quickly back on the table, staring of into space, wondering about the swirling whirlpool of thoughts blotting out her concentration – was he genuine, what did he want, was there some hidden agenda? She'd known enough shady guys to tell when someone was genuinely sick in the head but Alexander was…unreadable…he seemed sincere but then he had been a dick to her for weeks before the sudden thaw in tension…she didn't even know what to think.

"So have you stood me up then?" he murmured, Adrianna snapped back to attention – _crap he's talking to me...just act cool Adrianna…it's not the hard…really…_

She shook her head, "I was busy…I mean I had like six interviews this week and two magazine photoshoots to do…I'm a busy girl, sorry if I forgot about dinner the other night…I was just…just busy…"

"Too busy even for a drink? You could've text me, is there something going on?" he probed determinedly – clearly he wasn't taking busy for an answer.

Adrianna shrugged, "I just don't know what to think Alexander, first you come across as being a dick and then you're asking me out for dinner, mixed messages – I don't even know a thing about you, other than that you're South African and I've been around the block, I've seen guys that mess with girls lives," in her mind an image of Jasper flashed to the fore, "and I don't like the idea of being with someone like that…I have some…issues…"

"I'm not exactly pristine myself Ade," he replied, "I left South Africa because of the atmosphere in Cape Town with my mates…I'd spend nights pumped up on pills…amphetamines whatever I could get my hands on…and then one night I overdosed…I nearly died Ade, if it hadn't been for my boyfriend then I don't know what I'd have done…"

The fact that he'd had a boyfriend was weird enough in itself but coupled with the fact that he too had a chequered past like her changed things for her…her perspective was entirely different now – something had changed between them.

"How long have you been clean?" she asked.

"Two years, and going strong."

"Thirty seconds people."

"We'll talk later." He reassured as the clock counted down.

. . .

It was best.

It was painful but it was the best thing to do – his dad might be an actor but he'd grown up in a different era, the era where being gay was unacceptable: a taboo. He couldn't be in that environment, he couldn't go back to it, he'd have to take everything from the family house to the apartment…everything…it just wasn't a safe place for him to be anymore. He loved his dad more than anything but it just wasn't a good situation to be in…he'd tried explaining it for three hours and gotten no sense out of his dad. He loaded the last box into his backseat – the furniture could stay he just needed his things that reminded him of home. He opened the door and had settled himself as his dad strolled out, looking slightly worse for wear – probably from a night of drinking, he certainly smelt of booze.

"Guess this is me." He said simply, looking up at his father.

"I always thought you were the good one Teddy, the one that was gonna do something good with his life and settle down someday with a wife and have my grandkids, Teddy what happened last year to you, if that was when this all happened something must have set it off? Son what changed…you used to be so normal…"

Teddy sighed, "I am normal dad, this is me."

He put the key in the ignition and nudged the pedal, gliding out of the driveway and not looking back once. Driving in the open air allowed him to clear his head, he'd turned his back on everything he knew now – it had started with the one night stand with Ian…then their brief relationship before things soured, then there'd been that time with Tripp before he'd met Marco and he'd settled down – if you could settle down in your late teens, this was him now, he was happy and loving life with his boyfriend, even if things could be difficult like time management.

He still hadn't checked in with Marco or Naomi…they could wait, he had Adrianna to meet for brunch and chat things through…he honestly couldn't remember the last time they'd had a deep chat, not since Junior Year if memory served, sure they'd swopped texts or met for coffee but this would be the in depth friend-to-friend crap they used to do all the time when they were younger…it felt weirder knowing that he had to try and play peacemaker, he didn't want to do it – to have to get in between the fight and get in the crossfire but Silver and Ade were stronger when they were together, not when they were apart.

What had even happened between them? They'd fought because of what Navid and Silver had done behind Ade's back but that was all in the past wasn't it? Or shouldn't it have been? He'd get the full story today he was sure…though he wasn't sure he wanted to hear it.

. . .

She was hoisting the trophy above her head…the crowd was screaming and then…and then…she blinked her eyes a few times and then recoiled backwards on her bed as she realized Ian was sat right in front of her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled, grabbing her sheets up to cover her chest, "Again, what are you doing in my room – I thought I made myself clear yesterday dude with the whole, _you're the dickhead that fucked with Teddy_ speech."

"Oh I don't hold grudges," he reassured, "I told Laurel what really happened, not that it mattered, she thinks I'm going to be worth a lot of money, so much that after the demo I gave her last night she's promised me a bonus of 500k from the label by the end of the month, it's amazing what a little free-style singing and smooth talking can overcome."

"Seriously what are you doing in here?" she reiterated exasperatedly.

"I thought we could go and tell the gang that I'm back in town – I mean if you haven't already text Naomi and her cohorts about this," he smiled in a way that seemed tinged with menace, "oh and Ivy don't get your hopes up, I'm here to stay this time, in fact I'm looking quite forward to seeing Teddy again I figure I have about a year's worth of revenge to exact upon him, and you know spending time away from a place can give you a lot of time to harden up."

Ivy sniggered, as much to try and put him off as reassure herself that he wasn't a danger to her, that he wasn't threatening, "Dude really? _A year's worth of revenge to exact upon him_, I'm fairly sure this is Beverly Hills not like _Gossip Girl_ or something crappy like that!"

The door flung open and Laurel came in, dressed in her usual floral, billowing style of dress, complemented by boots, her long, flowing blonde hair down.

"Oh awesome you two made up, Ivy I think you got this guy all wrong," she declared brightly, "Ian I just got of the phone with RedOne, he heard your demo and he wants to record a track with you for your album and Alexis Jordan's management got back to us, she'd like to duet too – this is going to be a huge album – catch you two later, calls to make." As soon as she left Ian turned toward Ivy, a smirk plastered across his face.

"Well I have a radio interview to go and prep for," he rose and turned to leave, making it half way across the room before turning back to look at her, "you'd better watch your back Ivy, you never know who's gonna be lurking behind you." He winked and left. Ivy had never moved for her cell-phone so fast in her life.

. . .

"So Paris was…good?"

"Excellent merci mais le cuisine c'était…affreux," he quipped in fluent French, "there's such a different energy and vibe to Paris compared to LA…the city is alive you know, there's always a new band to check out or a new gallery or exhibit opening…it's alive man, vibrant and energetic."

"I'll bet," murmured Liam, "you want some pancakes? I learned to make 'em pretty good once you left!" To be honest it wasn't so much his desire to show of his cooking skill as his need to get away from his brother for a while…it was too weird of him to have just shown up out of the blue and then not said anything to him about what had happened last year nor why he'd decided to stay on in Paris rather than come home, it wasn't a conversation Liam particularly wanted to have.

"Nahh man it's cool I have a couple of interviews today so I'll just grab a coffee while I'm out – so you still seeing Annie then?"_ And there was the awkwardness._ Liam didn't say anything for a while, pausing to think out how to best answer the question – was he still seeing her? They weren't exactly broken up but they weren't by any measure of the imagination together…they were on hiatus he guessed…

He shrugged, uncommitted, "We went through a rough patch so we're kinda on a break at the moment, it was just a pretty strange relationship is all…did you keep up with your playwriting whilst you were in Paris?"

"Sure a little bit…anyway I'll see you tonight man, kay?"

Liam nodded as his brother left. Why was Charlie back? There'd never been a reason for him to comeback once he stayed on past that Semester abroad, he could just have stayed in France his whole life…or was that just wishful thinking? Maybe he'd just presumed that because it was what he wanted to think and it was what he wanted to believe, he couldn't face the possibility that his brother would come back because then he'd have to admit how messed up his relationship with Annie was. And how much he wanted to fix things.

. . .

"You're amazing…I mean how is it we have so much in common?" Silver asked as she perused his bookshelf, admiring the names of the authors jumping out at her, mentally noting down the ones she didn't recognize to be researched later. How had she found the one guy who liked the classics like she did – who liked her horror films, how had she struck gold? Whichever divine deity was looking favourably upon her she was happy for their attention.

"Good breeding," he winked at her, "you finish that paper on what it takes for a woman to be successful in politics?"

She nodded, "I chose to study Eva Peron, unorthodox but at the same time it was a free excuse to watch _Evita_," she laughed, "all we've talked about is classes…we should talk about something else right?"

"Or someone else?" he pressed, "What happened that was so terrible?"

"I started hooking up with her boyfriend behind her back…it was down partly to me being bipolar but there was something else there too – it wasn't just the disorder I mean…I felt it, it wasn't another personality or anything, I mean I had a real, deep, longing emotion inside of me, burning for him…my ex came out as being gay last year but…it wasn't self-esteem either, I didn't turn him he'd just always been like that and then I acted really shadily."

Silver looked at the beautiful new guy she'd met and instantly regretted telling him the truth. She'd dumped her emotional baggage on a new guy… a really hot new guy she liked and she'd given him the easiest reason to jump ship if he wanted to. Yet, despite that she felt good, she'd finally admitted what she'd done and she'd done it willingly, not under duress, she'd admitted to someone else as well as more importantly to herself that her actions had ruined the relationship. Adrianna hadn't exactly helped matters by manipulating her and Navid when she found out but they had both brought out the worst in one another…thinks had spiralled out of control…they'd both retaliated against one another, allowing it to increase in magnitude but…now it just seemed stupid.

"Silver? Silver are you still here? Earth to-" Tom was saying as she drifted back to lucid clarity.

"Sorry I was just…I shouldn't have off-loaded onto you like that…"

Tom shook his head, "Honestly I'm…I'm very moved that you felt you could talk to me Silver, I mean I'm practically a stranger, that tells me more about your character than any skeleton from your closet ever could – have you thought anymore about letting me take you out on a date?"

She had thought about it, not as much as she'd wanted to…she'd been pretending to herself that a relationship was not right for her or that she didn't deserve to date anyone but she had entertained the idea of being swept of her feet by her new suitor…the idea didn't seem half bad. But was she even ready for a relationship…with everything so up in the air with Navid? She was, it'd been long enough since the break and she didn't like him anymore anyway…she couldn't even consider a relationship with Navid.

"I had, and I think I kept you waiting too long for the answer," she admitted, "but my answer is…yes, I wanted to go out with you and I don't know why I didn't say yes sooner, I think I was just scared, it's been rough for me."

"Good, I booked a table for 8 at this little Italian I know," he grinned at her surprised look, "just a gamble , one that seems to have paid off."

"Don't make a habit of it," she mock scolded, "see you tonight."

. . .

"You had enough ice tea man, you normally only drink this much non-alcoholic when there's a girl on your mind – and considering you've had what like ten, guessing it's Silver and Adrianna again?" Dixon probed – Navid was pretty easy to read as an individual, it stemmed from his inability to lie and his inability to not fall head over heels in love with girls if he spent enough time with them.

"I just need to get my head around it – I mean do I like Adrianna or do I like Silver…or do I like neither of them or…or…well you're not a chick you're probably not the best person to advise me…" Navid trailed off…was it even right for him to off-load to Dixon about his problems, he'd allowed his family issues to override his own romantic concerns but now he was back in Beverly Hills, suddenly it had all come flooding back.

"Man I think your way off the mark if you think their even interested in you anymore, if they have anything left in common it's their anger at you," Dixon sniggered, toning it down when he realized how upsetting it was for Navid to hear that, "sorry man but I mean…they've moved on from you, Ade's gone to breakfast television and Silver is concentrating on her studies…bro you just need to find someone new."

Navid looked down at the ground: it was all for nothing then. Why did he allow himself to get so hung upon them, he'd finally broken away from Ade with Silver and then they'd both come back into his orbit…his heart was telling him so many different things he just couldn't comprehend them all at once…it was too much for his heartstrings to bear. Maybe he should move on…or maybe he should try for love just one last time?

He raised his head and looked out toward the beach.

"Or maybe I should just look them up again?" he suggested optimistically.

Dixon gave him a sceptical look, "Maybe you're delusional man, just accept the fact that they don't want you and move on – there's like a billion girls in LA that you could date Navid, why go back to the same two, especially when you messed up their lives enough the first time around or is that times around in Ade's case?"

"Shutup man," Navid shot-down, "I mean what do I have to lose anyway – either they say yes or they say no, all or nothing decision…"

"You're crazy – you know that right?"

. . .

"Ivy what was so urgent dude, I'm meant to be meeting Adrianna for lunch?" Teddy asked as he hopped out of his car, walking up to meet her at the viewpoint overlooking the beach and the sea – his favourite spot on the beach for admiring the sunsets, he'd only brought a few people here…he'd come here with Ivy to talk a couple of times when he'd needed help from her, Silver had been his rock through the Ian fallout but Ivy had somehow been easier to relate to…she spoke like a guy but with the insight of a girl, in short she was pretty much perfect for the advice he needed.

"A blast from the past, something just blew in from Senior Year and…and you needed to know about it man, it couldn't wait." She said mysteriously.

Teddy cocked an eyebrow, "Who, what's up?"

"My mum was raving about this new signing, I mean he's made a ton of demos and the Label loved them and he's gonna be a star, I mean he's getting like a massive advance," she clued-up slowly, "Teddy the guy is…it's…it's Ian."

Teddy didn't allow himself to consider all the painful emotions he'd long since deal with and disposed of slowly and painfully last year, he wouldn't let Ian mess with his head – he still found it hard to understand how someone who'd seemed so nice at first had turned so twisted…not evil just selfish and greedy…exactly the kind of thing he wanted to avoid in a potential first boyfriend.

"He said something then?"

Ivy seemed reluctant, "I know he was just twisted before but this time there was an edge to him…I mean he already has my mom under his spell so I can't just get him out of the way but…he's not even got that front anymore, he was cold and kinda spooked me…he was talking about taking revenge and crap man…I was just…kinda worried."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, I think I have stuff to think about though, he won't mess with me again, I'm with Marco now, he's dead to me." Teddy replied coldly, he half believed his bravado but now he had a little voice in his head…what was he planning?

. . .

Hope you enjoyed, chapter four

Acrobat

X


	5. Chapter 5

Major apologies for the wrong uploading of Chapter 2 as Chapter 4.

**. . .**

**90210: 2012**

_There's only really two options when someone you like spurns you like that – for something that was a little mistake – either you move on straight away and find someone new, or you start thinking about that person, about the things that you ignored whether blinded by some mad affection or that you chose to ignore because you wanted to see the good in them. Fair point I shouldn't have blackmailed Teddy into coming out, and would I really have ever told him it was me? No – I was selfish after all but somehow me being selfish can be misconstrued, I mean was it so bad that I made the guy I liked come out because I didn't want to have to be constrained by living a secret: a lie?_

_I chose the latter of the two, for weeks I was still hung up on Teddy – maybe it was my infatuation with his blonde locks or…that body of his – and then I started thinking, he wanted to keep us a secret, if he cared about me why didn't he ever consider what a secret relationship was doing to me? The thoughts built up and I decided that I'd look him up, so I simply sent a few demos to Woodgate Records, swung myself a record deal and now thanks to the less than delightful Ivy I am quite sure I will have Teddy running scared, which is, after all, exactly what I want. _

_Today the fun begins, and I can't wait. _

. . .

"I didn't realize psychopath was an attractive quality in a boyfriend these days?" quipped Marco as they sat at the table, sipping iced tea – Teddy was distant…not just distant…miles away and that had Marco worried, if Teddy was distracted by something then the return of _the guy_ was clearly more than some weird blast from the past.

Teddy refocused upon the conversation.

"It's not…at least it wasn't…at the time he seemed nice and genuine…turned out he was just as twisted and manipulative as everyone else in Beverly Hills can be," Teddy recollected aloud, "I don't want to talk about Ian anyway because I don't care if he's back or he's been talking crap to Ivy – I'm not worried and neither should you be."

"I'm not," Marco protested, "you just seem…_spooked_, is it worth even meeting him to find out what he wants?"

Teddy was gearing up to rebuke his boyfriend when his phone vibrated and he pulled it out, briefly scanning the text before stashing it back in his pocket, it wasn't important and he didn't care, as far as he was concerned Ian didn't even exist.

"That was him wasn't it?" Marco probed, more forcefully this time.

Teddy nodded after a few minutes, "He said he wants to meet today, by the beach."

"You're gonna go right?" he pressed further.

Was he? True it might spook Ian if Teddy went…or maybe he wanted Teddy to go…that was the trouble with manipulative people, they were hard to read and hard to outmanoeuvre, there were plans within back-up plans within back-up-back-up plans…truth was despite how much he might feign disinterest with the matter he wanted to know what Ian was up to…he hadn't heard anything from his ex since they'd parted company last year…he'd expected a phone call or a text or something. He'd considered forgiving Ian a few times, suggesting they try and be friends and brush what had happened between them under the carpet.

"I guess…do you think it's a good idea?"

"Sure," encouraged Marco confidently, "he clearly has problems and you just need to set him straight, we're happy together and you don't care what he tries to do to change that…it's probably all talk – call his bluff."

Teddy dwelt on that thought, as poker faces went Ian's hadn't exactly been fantastic when he'd tripped himself up last year but maybe he'd learned from his mistake, how could he go into the lion's den – he'd only get mauled – if there was going to be a meeting it would be on his terms, no-one else's.

. . .

"It was only lunch right?" the voice checked from within the cubicle, the door flung open revealing Naomi in a floral maxi dress, complete with accompanying bangles and necklace, "Does this show enough cleavage?"

"Yeah I guess," murmured Adrianna dreamily – her head obviously wasn't in the shopping process, she drifted back to the room, "and depends how much cleavage you were looking to show, try the other one," she suggested handing the hangar over as Naomi re-entered the cubicle, "I just…I haven't spoken to Teddy in a while…it would've been nice to catch up!"

"Any idea what it was about?" Naomi hoped against hope Teddy hadn't been too plain about his intentions for lunch, he was usually pretty tactful but he wasn't always, in fact he'd been pretty crap in the opening salvos of the Adrianna-Silver war when he might have been more effective, as it were the whole détente, the whole relaxation of tensions hadn't helped things. Though they just seem reclined to not being friends with one another anymore – and that wasn't the favourable option.

"Nope," she replied simply, "oh my god you don't think he was gonna ask Marco to marry him do you?" Naomi poked her head over the top of the changing stall to shake her head vehemently – sometimes Ade definitely did just go looking for drama for the hell of it, if she knew would she be as mad as Silver had been when she'd mooted the subject of a ceasefire and renewal of friendship? Unfortunately she knew _probably_ was the answer. But what was she supposed to do, just let her two best friends drift inexorably apart?

"You know I do miss you guys," she said almost to herself as Naomi continued changing, "I mean I might have a huge TV career and be on TV five six mornings a week but I'm still me, I'm still the Ade that you all love…aren't I?"

"Sure," Naomi replied immediately, almost nervously, "I mean you're not too dissimilar…I mean you're basically still you…"

Adrianna gave her a scornful look, "You know you can tell me anything." She said in what was more an imperative than a kind, open-hearted statement of reassurance.

"I don't know Ade but maybe…maybe that's part of the reason that what happened last year happened, sure you were still you inside but on the outside you just seemed…bratty and self-centred…I mean the whole Javier thing was bad but then you ignored Navid while you were on your rise to fame and everything…and then when he cheated with and started going out with Silver you didn't help being all manipulative and…hurtful and…evil. It sounds strong Ade but you were evil."

"Evil?" she asked incredulously, "Naomi they betrayed me – almost everyone did last year, I was alone – I had to look out for myself don't you…don't you understand that?" She demanded, she then noticed her friend's unforgiving expression. "I mean come on Naomi…I was…I was going through stuff too!"

"Yeah but Ade you didn't have to steal his notebook, you didn't have to fake a hunt for your own daughter did you…Ade I love you but maybe…maybe it's just time you saw past what everyone else did to you and what you did to them…just…just think about it okay?" Naomi asked, emerging in the other dress.

Adrianna was silent for a moment as she took in everything that had been said.

"I prefer that one," she laughed, "_bustier_." She looked to change the subject then plucked it out of obscurity, "I think I'm dating my co-host."

"The South African?" Naomi stopped changing, "I thought you hated him?"

"I saw a different side of him…and then we got coffee after our morning show and then…then he just seemed so much more than I ever thought he could be and I just…I just fell for him okay…he seems really nice."

"Seeming to be nice after being a dick doesn't make the guy nice Ade, it makes him a dick," she came out of the changing room, "now how does my ass look in this, ever since I stopped shopping at DASH my ass has been sliced watermelon instead of ripe whole watermelon and I want a whole lot of watermelon back there?"

. . .

"You were tearing it up out there," Annie whooped ecstatically as Ivy flumped down beside her on her beach towel, "sorry did I say something wrong?"

Ivy just sniggered, "Sorry I just didn't realize you'd gotten the lingo," she allowed the last syllable to stretch out, "down, maybe you learned something from being with Liam after all." She looked out to sea as she allowed her last word to trail out…ever since she'd had her fling with Liam she'd felt a bond with him, it wasn't love, more brother-to-sister and she'd accepted that. Naomi might have been focusing on fixing a friendship, Ivy had taken upon herself the rather more difficult task of relationship surgery, she'd take on Annie and Dixon would take on Liam…well she could work at Liam too…and he could work at Annie too…but at the moment at least they were taking them on individually, Liam was a little too pissed at Ivy anyway for trying to interfere at his end.

"Maybe I did," she mused, looking out to sea, "the surf looks good."

"Yeah it's awesome," Ivy confirmed, "what've you been doing lately?"

Annie groaned, "Running lines for like a bazillion plays I'm appearing in to add stuff to my portfolio and Shakespeare is so hard I mean if it isn't the English accent then it's all the different words and I swear I don't even know what half of the lines mean…and studying too obviously, classes are pretty boring but I mean I guess I'm doing okay, what about you?"

"Classes too but I'm still surfing, I joined the team and stuff to still see the guys you know?" Annie nodded, "But I mean Teddy's been too busy with Marco lately to practice much, Dixon's getting more gigs and don't even talk about Liam, man he hasn't been too like a single practice since last week – definitely something off about him."

Annie visibly stiffened, "Ivy what's your beef with me, I mean you keep bringing up Liam and I know things between me and him isn't great but that's our business not anyone else's…"

"Cool your jets," Ivy chided with the ethereal calm she usually commanded, "Liam just misses you, no matter what you say, I don't know what went down but he seemed to be coming round and then his brother just came back into LA and he's all weird again…things are weird between you and him but you know, a text might just help things?"

"Wait Charlie's back in LA? When did he get in?" she became alert once more, deeply interested.

"Like this morning I think, do you want me to drive you over there?"

"That would be…helpful," Annie said gratefully. _Why's he back? Should I see him? Maybe I need to see Liam, how torn up must he be about this? I need to see Liam…I can fix things now, I don't care what he says we can be together, I can apologise and do whatever it takes…just depends why Charlie's back in LA._

. . .

"What's the big emergency?" Dixon asked as he entered the house, finding the place strewn with clothes and shoes as though a mini-tornado had swept through the place, "Hey Silver you in here?" She emerged in a deep violet dress, her hair wild and her general appearance shabby, she looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown.

"I met a new guy and I want to make it work…I really do but Navid coming back and Naomi trying to act peacemaker in our whole war thing…I just need help," she admitted, "how do I look? Wait – don't say anything – I look terrible…crap…why do I have nothing to wear, this is ridiculous, I can't not have anything to wear in my wardrobe!" She disappeared again as Dixon tentatively picked his way through the mess to what he thought was the sofa and sat on it, waiting for her to slow down and come and join him. Eventually after madly dashing about for a couple of minutes she slowed down and slumped onto the sofa next to him.

"Isn't this the kinda stuff you're meant to do with your friends – friends that are girls that is?" Dixon quipped, his mouth mildly curving into a smile that translated into – _if you made up with Adrianna she could be helping you right now, with Annie, Ivy and Naomi too._

Silver shrugged, "I'm just so wrapped up in everything at the moment I mean Navid's back but I don't know I mean do I meet him and have the _ex-conversation_ or avoid him in case that pisses Adrianna off again or…or…or do I just go on a date with this new guy and forget that either of them ever existed?"

"You know you're kidding yourself about forgetting they ever existed," Dixon reminded knowingly, "you're amazing, you're intelligent and quirky in the best possible way and…and you know you can make things up with Adrianna if you put your mind to it, and you can keep Navid as a friend at the same time, you just have to make the first move, maybe Adrianna was wrong for how she treated Navid in the first place but sometimes you just have to be the bigger person."

"It's just hard," she murmured, "admitting to myself what I did…I mean I told Tom it the other day – I don't even know why…maybe I just needed to tell it to myself as well as him before going into a relationship…there's just so much baggage and you're right, it's time I got rid of it."

Dixon nodded encouragingly, "So what do you know about the new guy?"

"Other than that he's in my political science seminar, not a lot," she smiled, "am I taking a risk?"

"Probably but I mean, you haven't taken too many of them lately."

"Oh shut up," she said mock-smacking him on the arm "thanks Dixon, for coming over I mean, maybe I just needed to hear it from the person who knows me _best_."

. . .

"My foot is to the floor Annie I can't exactly go faster than the speed limit can I?" Ivy raged as they tore down the road toward Liam's, why they were going so fast she didn't even understand…there wasn't even any urgency, Liam wasn't just gonna run away or hide from her if they didn't get there in a particular amount of time.

"I should've just driven, we'd be there now if you hadn't taken that stupid detour back there!" she shouted.

Ivy scowled at her momentarily, "Seriously you're really starting piss me off, just calm down, we'll be there in like five minutes, and if you don't shut up I am going to pull over." She eased up on the accelerator slightly as her old jeep bounced along the road and then put her foot down again as she reconsidered that Annie was probably going through some stuff that she wasn't sharing that was making her crabby.

"I'm just worried about Liam I mean…we didn't exactly go on our break on the best terms and his brother coming back won't help things…it'll just be…super awkward," Annie mooted, "you don't have to go as quickly anymore you know, we're nearly there now, it'll be fine."

Ivy complied, lifting her foot of the accelerator and tapping at the break, she then tapped more forcefully, sometimes the pedal was a little jerky – the jeep had been around for years – though not usually this jerky…probably nothing to worry about anyway.

"So what even like happened between you and Liam, you used to be so tight together and now…well…you're not, I mean was it Charlie or…did you just have a really, really, really bad row or…was it something else?" her break pedal was starting to worry her now, it should be responding by now and her speed wasn't coming down even though her foot was off the accelerator.

Annie was about to say something when she caught a sight of the speedometer, the car was at 60 and increasing, "Aren't you breaking, I mean the turn-off is in like half a mile?"

"I wish I could but something's wrong with my car, I can't get the breaks to work."

. . .

The noise had shaken him out of sleep, in a blur he'd hurtled out of the door and then seen Ivy's jeep, smashed into the wall, the front all crumpled, he ran to the car – neither of the girls were in it – and then turned round and spotted them, lying wincing on the floor beside the wrecked car, he ran to them and lay beside them, checking they were still breathing. He rapidly dialled 911 in his phone and spending the few agonizing seconds waiting for them to pick up at the end.

"Hello, I need an ambulance please…there's been a car crash."

Ivy was usually a safe driver…something was wrong about this…very wrong.

. . .

"You came," Ian greeted warmly, "it's good to see you."

"It's not like I had much of a choice," he murmured in reply, "what do you want Ian – last time we spoke I thought I made it pretty clear to you that I wanted nothing more to do with you, I did what you asked me to, now leave me alone."

"Oh but you didn't really think we'd be over that quickly did you? I mean seriously? You steal a few records for me from the University Office and suddenly we're all square?" Ian sniggered, "Seriously man," his tone changed now, being edged with menace, "I have a lot more for you to do, a long time ago someone did something really mean to me and I couldn't deal with that for a long time, I think it's only fair I inflict the same amount of pain no them don't you?" He didn't wait for a reply, "Put simply I'm going to take everything he holds dear away from him, starting with his friends – one by one they'll leave him and then he'll know how I felt, and that starts with Silver."

. . .

"Hey what's wrong, I got your text?" Teddy asked as he run up to his boyfriend whose eyes were weepy, tears streaming down his face as he collapsed into an impromptu embrace from Teddy who caringly wrapped his arms around Marco, hugging his boyfriend close to him.

Marco looked up, his eyes wide with fear, "Ivy and Annie were in a car crash…I serviced her car like two days ago at the Auto-Shop…I…I must have done something wrong: Teddy they nearly died. That car was fine when I sent it out I swear but…something's…something's wrong Teddy, something's really wrong."

"You don't think it could be…?" Teddy allowed the thought to disintegrate.

"Ian? I don't know but now I'm scared…this is serious…"

. . .

"Hey you, I thought I might actually get stood up on my own first date," Silver laughed as Tom settled in the seat opposite her at the table, "although thanks for the early heads up, I hopped on my scooter and got over here, where were you anyway?"

"Oh I was…just out at the beach doing a few things…nothing important." Murmured Tom, allowing his eyes to flit straight down to the menu.

. . .

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 5, hopefully 6 will be up before the end of the week but after that there might be a little hiatus,

Acrobat

Xo


	6. Chapter 6

**90210**

The room was cold, hostile and lifeless – the atmosphere was not exactly encouraging for a mother waiting for her daughter to regain consciousness after a car crash…she hadn't phoned Ivy's father, he wouldn't help matters: in stead she'd wait here herself, even if it took all night. She had at least one friendly face though – Ian had been waiting with her for hours now for Ivy to wake up, they'd turned away anyone else, Laurel needed to be able to think in solitude and Ian could respect that. He was remarkably mature for someone at the record label – most of the brats she signed had incredible voices, were very talented and were arrogant with it – he didn't have that arrogance or spoilt attitude. He was refreshingly normal.

"You can go home if you like," she half-whispered, "I'm fine to stay with her."

"No it's cool," Ian reassured, "it looked like a nasty crash she had, not like her to be driving dangerously though." Truthfully she hadn't considered why they girls had crashed, but it was out of character Ivy never drove high or after drinks, she was a good girl, there hadn't been another car to avoid either…maybe it was the car? Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and half-thoughts and considerations that all conflicted and agreed with one another at the same time – confusion was overriding everything.

Laurel simply nodded, "The car had only just been serviced though…I don't know it's pretty quirky, I'll ring the mechanic in the morning, maybe he can straighten things out?" Ian nodded approvingly, and then simply turned his head back to Ivy.

_I believe that makes the first blood mine, now let sparks fly._

. . .

Silver groaned as she hungrily gulped down her coffee, "What's even with an eight o'clock lecture – who thought that was a good idea?"

"Erm…the productivity guru," they both laughed as they slumped into the all too inviting embrace of the armchairs, plying themselves with caffeine to keep themselves awake after their early start, "no better way to start the day than with an intricate examination of the economic policy of the Thatcher government though right?"

Silver laughed again, "Sometimes politics can be such a snooze, hey I really enjoyed last night, the food was great, the conversation," she winked at Tom, "was amazing, it was generally amazing!"

"Oh so that means I get the third date then? Since I did take you out to coffee without you noticing!"

"Yeah you get the third date you tool." She sipped at her coffee and reflected that she was happy again. The last few days had completely obliterated any existing memories of Navid and her worries were slowly ebbing away as she started to like Tom more and more, maybe there was a future I this relationship – if that was what it was, maybe she just needed to give into it and just take a chance upon a risk.

Tom grinned, "Hey…do you know Teddy Montgomery?"

"Yeah sure, we're good friends how come?" Silver asked, allowing her gaze to flit to one of the flat screens that was showing Adrianna's breakfast show as she and her co-host chatted away to one of the Kardashian sisters – she had no idea which one – and then she refocused upon Tom, he looked as though he was reluctant to say something, "What's the matter?"

Tom started and then faltered, then started again.

"I just…he was at lunch with his boyfriend and some girls the other day and they were all talking about how they were gonna get you to make-up with Adrianna and how they were gonna trick you into it all and…I don't know it just sounded kinda shady so I thought you should know," he looked at Silver, "you're mad aren't you? Crap, I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"No you were right to tell me what lousy friends I have." Her phone vibrated and she glared at the sender of the text, TEDDY.

HEY, DO YOU WANT TO MEET FOR LUNCH TODAY? X

"Is it him?"

Silver nodded, "Do you mind if we skip lunch and do dinner, I'm gonna go see him and find out what he has to say for himself, I can't believe he'd try and gang-up with Naomi and Annie like this: he should respect my decisions!" she raved angrily, what was Teddy thinking of trying to get involved in her life when all she'd ever done was respect his boundaries and only get involved when the time was right and when he wanted her to be there for him.

. . .

_I messed up, I shouldn't have slept with you when you were still dating Charlie or stressed at you when you'd vented about your guilt and about driving him away…we were great together once: we could be again, Annie I've wanted nothing more than to get back with you ever since we've split but it's…it's just been hard facing my inner demons about this, I mean it was hard enough the first time around when I found out what Charlie had done for me when I was at the lake when we were younger…but then to hear it from my own girlfriend…I got torn up inside and those kinds of wounds take a while to heal for me. I'm…I'm in love with you Annie, I always have been, it never went away…I just want to be with you._

And then they'd kiss.

Except she was in a hospital bed now…with a broken arm after a car crash – all because they'd broken up, if he'd just talked things through sooner this would never have happened. They'd been on their way to see him for the chat and then something had gone wrong and the car had crashed and they'd jumped clear of the car…and then he'd called the ambulance and they'd taken them to hospital…and he'd been waiting ever since…hours now and without sleep, and he didn't need sleep because his heart was keeping him going, willing him on for Annie…so he could be there when she woke up. Feebly at first her eyes flickered open, and then she smile and immediately winced in pain.

"Hey," she croaked, "you don't know how happy I am to see you."

"Nurse," Liam yelled, sticking his head out the door, "Nurse she's awake!"

Clad in a lilac uniform a nurse came into the room, circled the bed and stood beside Annie, checking her stats on the machines and scribbling things down onto the clipboard, "How are you feeling Miss Wilson?"

"A little groggy, tired and I'm in pain," she replied calmly, "otherwise I'm doing great."

The nurse laughed and then turned to Liam, "She has a mild concussion so nothing too stressful, and speak softly." She smiled at them both and then left the young lovers alone in the room together, Liam gently cupped her hand and stroked it slowly and comfortingly.

"What happened?" Annie asked, "In the car, I think the brakes were out or something…"

"Hey, hey," Liam shushed, "don't worry about that the police are already looking into it you just concentrate on getting some rest."

. . .

"Oh now you decide to grace me with my presence," Ian smiled as he sat up on his sun-lounger and rested his sunglasses on the table beside it, "to what do I owe the honour?"

"I suppose you know Ivy and Annie were in a car crash last night," Teddy asked, Ian nodded elusively, "see Marco serviced Ivy's car and it was in perfect working order, and there's no way Ivy would've crashed normally so I'm going to ask you, did you do anything to that car?"

Ian gave him a look of astonishment.

"Teddy seriously I might have some history with you but why would I go tampering with someone's car exactly, if your boyfriend's a shoddier mechanic than me that isn't my fault but don't go trying to offload your guilt onto me." Teddy would have smacked him right there given the choice but he resisted the urge to, he should have beaten the crap out of Ian but he didn't want to give the wrong impression, he turned and walk away, "And Teddy," Ian called as he walked away, "I wouldn't come here again, I don't like to be disturbed whilst tanning."

. . .

"Okay yeah the brakes weren't working but I mean they'd been working fine the rest of the day, they were a little unresponsive on the drive from the house to the beach but that was it – they'd been working fine otherwise, I really don't think that Marco had anything to do with the crash." Ivy said in what was probably quite a feeble voice when she actually wanted a more vehement, convincing tone.

"Do you have any enemies Miss Sullivan or people that would like to harm you in anyway?" the officer asked.

"No," Ivy ruled out, more determinedly, "seriously there isn't anyone who'd want to do me harm, I mean not anyone I can think of anyway."

"That's all for now but we'll be in touch." The officer said, leaving with his colleague. Ivy gave her mother a vicious look, why had she had to get the police involved it was clearly an accident or something else but she knew it wouldn't be Marco, he'd serviced her car like a thousand times and nothing had ever gone wrong before, he wasn't sloppy – he wouldn't have made the mistakes, there was something else behind this, or someone.

"Honey what did you expect me to do, look Ian was here earlier and he suggested the thing about the car and well – it's a bit out there but maybe someone did something to your brakes, I mean you didn't crash cause you were high or anything did you?"

Ivy shook her head vehemently, her experimentation with marijuana as a mind-opener when she'd been getting over her fear of the ocean had been a one time thing, she wasn't into that whole scene like her mom, she stayed as far away from the stuff as possible. She wasn't going to point the figure because without evidence it would be pointless but it all just seemed so weird, why had Ian even been in her room waiting for her to come to – she'd made clear she didn't like the guy or want him anywhere near her.

. . . .

"Hey," Teddy greeted as he swept up to the table, "look I'm sorry that I'm late but I had to go and see someone about something…have you been waiting long?"

"Not too long," Silver replied icily as he sat down, "so heard you had lunch with Annie and Naomi the other day – good catch-up?"

_Where is she going with this?_

Something was definitely off, she was cold and abrasive and had that glint in her eye she normally had when she was pissed off – had he done something or said the wrong thing? Maybe she'd found out what had been said at lunch…but why would she be angry about that, they hadn't said anything bad, just they wanted to speak to her and Adrianna…

"Yeah."

"So it wasn't I don't know so you could talk about how you're gonna make be friends with Adrianna again?" Silver probed further, becoming visibly more vexed with every passing second.

Teddy nodded, "But it wasn't about-"

"I knew it," she declared, "now Naomi's got you working as her stooge – seriously Teddy how messed up are you now, I can't believe that you'd try and make me be friends with someone who was a bitch to me, granted I was a bitch to her too but isn't it my decision? I never get involved in any of your decisions, I respected boundaries and distance but you've became Naomi's little Chihuahua lapdog haven't you, look…I can't…I can't do this – I can't have lunch with you, don't text me or call me I don't want to hear it."

She grabbed her bag and swept out of the restaurant, she couldn't believe Teddy was being a dick now too – that made it nearly everyone…she was on her own then, they didn't matter, none of them did: they were all against her, so she'd have to be stronger – and she would be.

. . .

She opened the door to her apartment and was at first slightly taken aback, then merely gestured for him to come in. She hadn't seen him in so long and somehow she wanted to see him…she needed to see him…deep inside her she wanted to see him, _for the last time._

"How was your dad?" she asked as they settled, she taking the armchair, Navid sitting awkwardly on the sofa as she scrutinized him under her gaze, his palms were sweaty and he kept moving them about, his eyes wouldn't make contact with hers – he was worried – who knew that doing the body language feature on _Wake Up LA!_ would actually be applicable to a real life situation?

"He was…good…fine actually for someone who ran away from the law," he declared, relenting from descending into another rant about his father, "Ade I…I came to clear things up, as much for me as for you, we can't go on like this."

"You're right," she said in what was a half-hearted attempt at the loving voice she'd given Navid throughout their years together, then she hardened her tone, "which is why I moved on Navid, I moved on with Alexander my co-host…we've been dating and I'm happy with him," she softened her tone again and moved to sit alongside Navid, "I want you to find someone new Navid…it took me so long to move on after you that all I want for you is a smooth transition."

Navid nodded but his eyes were welling up with tears, "So this is how it ends then, _with thunderous applause_?" Adrianna cocked an eyebrow suspiciously – was that another of his geeky quotes? That had been what made Navid so attractive to her…he was the first guy with her…except maybe Teddy…that had made her feel special inside made her feel cared about, the first guy who wanted her for her and not for her body. Who wanted her for her good points and her bad…to a point at least…but now she had finally moved on. She would always love Navid in a way…as a friend, but could he accept that?

"Navid you know I'll always be here for you, I'll always be a phone call away, I want you in my life…just…just not in that way Navid…too much has happened for us to be together again – I guess I have to ask can you live with that?" Tears were streaming down his face now as she posed the question.

"I guess I'm gonna have to," he admitted as much to himself as to Adrianna, "Ade I'm sorry for what I did, to you and to your relationship with Silver…I should have spoken to you and sat you down way before things got out of control like that."

"Thank you for saying that," she said, "and I'm sorry too for how I acted, so we're good now?"

Navid nodded, closure. It felt strange to be shutting the cover on the story, one of the best stories in his life thus far.

. . .

She was awake again, she'd been drifting in and out of consciousness all day, but now there was someone else in the room with her, her sight was blurry as she came around, it was a guy, and he was tall…and tanned and blonde, which narrowed it down to being Teddy. She smiled weakly and sat up in bed…it was night now, the sun had set and it was a clear starry night.

"Hey man," she murmured, "what's up?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that," he smiled as he took one of the seats beside her bed, "I'm so sorry for what happened Ivy."

"Dude it's cool, it wasn't your fault," she saw he was about to add to his earlier apology and she pre-empted him, "and it wasn't Marco's either – the jeep was just tripping out of its own accord, it was fine before that last drive, the break was a little jerky on the way over but I just put it down to the jeeps own issues, but man don't worry I know Marco had nothing to do with it."

"Yeah but it wasn't your driving, something caused it." Teddy stated.

Ivy nodded, "Yeah more like someone," she caught a look from Teddy, "I'm not saying anything for definite man but I just have an inkling."

"What are you doing in here?" demanded Laurel as she swept into the room, Ian at her heels.

"Mom it's fine he was just visiting-"

"-Ivy I try to be a good mom and try to be pretty open-minded with your friends but his," she said with poisonous venom the kind of which Ivy had never heard her mom use before, "boyfriend is the reason you nearly died – I don't care what you say he did a shoddy job as a mechanic, he messed up somewhere and that's unforgivable, I want you to get out." She snarled at Teddy.

"It wasn't exactly the most tactful decision." Ian murmured barely under his breath.

Teddy moved past him without saying a word…Ivy was off limits then and out into the corridor, he spotted Dixon, Debbie and Harry waiting but all he got out of Dixon was a moody glare as his friend squared up to him.

"You got a lot of nerve man!" Dixon yelled, "Your dick of a boyfriend nearly killed my sister!"

His parents looked on quietly, Harry might have said something but it went past Teddy. This was what Ian wanted…Ivy was off limits, Dixon had turned against him, he'd lost Silver…everyone was disappearing from around him, how long till he lost Navid or even Marco…what would Ian do to Marco? Get him sent to jail? His whole world was crumbling around him.

"I'd thought you were better than this man." Was all he could say as he left the hospital.

. . .

"So wait…you think Ian did something to Ivy's car? I mean is he really that…unstable?" Adrianna enquired, reaching down for some of the chips, grabbing some of the sweet chilli salsa as she leaned back to think about it.

"He's changed…beyond recognition," Teddy answered plainly, "he's somehow turned Silver against me, Laurel won't let me near Ivy and the Wilsons all think that Marco's completely guilty which he isn't, besides Ivy agrees with me and she's in the best position to know."

"So what do we do?" Navid piped up having been quiet in the meeting thus far.

"What we do my dear Navid is absolutely nothing," Naomi reasoned confidently, "if he's as much of a psycho as he you say he is then he's planning his next move already, Teddy you're gonna play defeated – no contact with the Wilsons or Ivy…or Silver, meanwhile you two," she indicated Navid and Adrianna, "will both stage public disagreements with Teddy and or Marco, and me? Well I'm going to go after Ian – or rather the people close to him."

"Oh god you're going all _Gossip Girl_ on his ass again aren't you?" Adrianna said worriedly.

"Not exactly, I'm just hitting up my modern day Sherlock Homes." She winked, "Everyone clear? I'll text everyone's individual roles later on tonight, right now I have a meeting to get to."

. . .

"Has it really been more than a year, how have you been?" she asked as she happily took the champagne glass, draining it and angling for a second.

"Rather smashing actually," Oscar grinned devilishly, "must admit your call was a little out of the blue though, so what is the big emergency then that needs my help? Must say I am rather glad I answered – a perfect excuse to spend time with the perfect woman."

Naomi smiled and then placed her finger to his lips.

"This is purely a business transaction you helped me with Canon-snooping and now I need your help with another psychopathic creep, and it involves Ivy, it'll be like old times?" her mouth curved into a confident smile, "And stop looking at my ass, it's all natural, I wouldn't have implants – I mean I'm not Kim Kardashian."


	7. Chapter 7

**90210: 2012**

"So all you did during High School was plotting and manipulating? And they say soap operas exaggerate…" Alexander joked, catching an icy glare of Adrianna as she texted Naomi and then paused to allow her make-up artist touched up her make-up as they waited to go on air in her dressing room.

"One this isn't manipulating, and two it's in a good cause," she said, turning to face him as her make-up artist finished and left them, "Ian is a really shady guy and what he's trying to do to Teddy is awful, and besides if I'm co-anchor of the biggest breakfast show in LA the least I can do is try and use my position for some leverage."

"So what does this plan have to do with us?" he enquired.

She grinned mischievously, "Well Ian thinks that Teddy is alone and isolated and vulnerable, which is what we want him to think, but thanks to Ivy and her connections at the label we're going to mess with his head this morning, you remember Dominique?"

"Sure, the brat we interviewed a while ago."

"Well she doesn't particularly care for Ian either, their both on a pretty meteoric rise to fame but Ian is cutting in on her, starting to eclipse her, her last single went to the top of the Chart and she's recording the new Bond theme, but Ian's working with RedOne on a track – I mean the guy's worked with Lady GaGa," Adrianna's smile broadened, "so I just made a few phone-calls to a few friends and thanks to Ivy we have a little bombshell we're going to drop on Ian's parade."

"Oh I get it, so he has a fit, storms up to Laurel, rants and rages at her and whilst angry he loses his control and makes a mistake, and then you pounce." The handsome South African comprehended knowingly.

"You know you might just catch on." Adrianna took his hand as they left together, five minutes till the show went to air.

. . .

"Forgive me for not touching…_that_," Naomi said as apologetically as she could manage considering the pile of slop Navid had offered her for breakfast, "but I think I'll just grab a bagel later, did Adrianna tell you what she had planned?"

Navid shook his head as he gulped down his scrambled eggs and bacon – clearly Naomi hadn't developed a taste for a real breakfast, he managed between mouthfuls, "I don't know but she seemed pretty happy, Ivy was being tight-lipped about it too – she's still under lock and key at the Sullivan compound."

He thumbed the remote and the screen came to life, the opening credits were rolling depicting the glorious LA weather and lifestyle, then Adrianna came on and posed as her name flashed past in an artistic font, followed by her dashing new suitor…_Alexander_. He was hot, tanned, foreign and his dad owned a safari reserve with baby lions – in a way he was glad he wasn't trying to compete for her affections anymore because he was fairly sure baby lion beat annoying little sisters.

"Good morning, this is _Wake Up LA! _with Adrianna Tate-Duncan." Greeted Alexander warmly.

Adrianna followed, "And Alexander Van Outen and coming up today, everyone's favourite Vegas showgirl Holly Madison will be jetting in for an exclusive new chat about the new season of _Holly's World_."

"And we'll be getting the inside scoop on a mega-male Charity Single in aid of the victims of the earthquake that struck Java last week, here live in the studio Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Will., Taio Cruz and Bruno Mars – I know Adrianna can't wait for that!" he joked and they laughed in the mildly cringe worthy yet predictable style of breakfast television.

"However first up we had her on our show a few weeks ago telling us about her opportunity to record the theme for the latest James Bond Film due in cinemas next year – two-time US Number One Artist Dominique Viziers!" Adrianna invited rising with Alexander to exchange hugs and kisses with the petite pop starlet as they seated themselves, this time she'd gone for a rather more subdued indigo maxi dress and Adrianna had to admit she was stunning, it might be the fact that they'd in someway buried the hatchet over a common enemy in Ian but somehow Dominique seemed different this time.

"Thank you guys for having me on the show!" she began enthusiastically.

"Thank you for coming on the show," Alexander responded, "now since we aired your album has shipped and not only has it matched the success of your two most recent singles but it has already been certified double-platinum," he paused dramatically, "in eighteen countries, is it overwhelming?"

"Definitely, I mean the response has been beyond amazing but I'm so grateful to my fans and everyone at my label, I mean I couldn't have hoped for anything better out of this." Dominique said sincerely.

Adrianna interjected now, "There has been a lot of press speculation about your label recently and their new signing, is there a lot of competition between artists at Woodgate?"

Naomi snapped back to attention having zoned out to check her Facebook whilst they'd gone through the pleasantries of introducing themselves, Navid had moved on from shovelling his breakfast down his gullet to also taking the one Naomi had turned her nose up at, they were getting to the juicy bit now.

"Although I doubt he's got quite the recognition you have Dominique, there has been talk that Simon Cowell has been in touch with you and Nicole Scherzinger, one of the Hosts of _X-Factor_ suggested you were in talks with them for an appearance on the series, could you elaborate?" Adrianna said, restraining herself from whooping at the top of her lungs.

Dominique was quite for a few moments.

"Well obviously _X-Factor_ is a huge program and the artists that appear on the live show are amazing I mean – the Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa, Katy Perry, Usher – between them they've sold millions of records and I can confirm I will be making a live appearance on the show to promote my new single _The Witching Hour_ – I am beyond excited."

Navid spat out his mouthful of food as Naomi began jumping up and down ecstatically – an appearance on X-Factor will if that didn't get Ian's jealousy through the roof she doubted that anything ever would.

. . .

Ivy blinked drowsily as she came downstairs, scratching at her head as she walked into the kitchen – she hadn't been able to sleep, there'd been too much yelling for her to just lie in bed and sleep-off the worst of her injuries, and it wasn't too early anyway, as she walked into the kitchen though she stifled a smile as she recognized Ian obviously in a frustrated state of mind, raging at her mother.

"Kid seriously calm down it is one television appearance, you are both my priority and do not get upset that she is recording the James Bond theme, the fact is that Dominique is already and established star and you'll get there someday just be patient." She attempted to reason but Ian was having none of it.

"I am the best thing that ever happened to your label, Dominique will be dead in the water in a few months time and I'll be with Sony or Jive and I'll be on top of the world and where will you be Laurel? Rotting in your mansion with your waste of space daughter and just saying _breath in the calming mantra dude…everything will just like…blow over our heads like clouds or something…_" Ian mocked, sniggering at himself as Ivy eased closer into the room.

Laurel's face creased in anger, "Get out of my sight and don't bother turning up to the studio today, you're lucky that I haven't dropped you from the label yet."

"You all think your living in a perfect world but this will all come crumbling down Laurel." He snarled as he left, breezing past Ivy without making eye contact. She simply continued her morning routine, grabbing herself some cereal and sitting down at the breakfast bar as Laurel came over un-easily, Ivy would very much like being on the right side of an _I told you so_-conversation.

"Honey…look I'm sorry okay, maybe Ian is a bit of a freak but…I mean he's talented and he was sincere enough about the car accident...look he's a talented kid he's just highly strung like the rest of them…can't we just move past this?" she asked.

Ivy finished her mouthful of cereal, "Honestly mom I think the guy's rotten to the core, he's a psychopath, like seriously – a full on psychopath, look I don't care whether you think he's a good musical investment I'd just focus on Dominique or something, I don't think he's gonna be staying around much longer." She got up to take her cereal through to the living room, no sense in waiting around in that environment.

. . .

"As much as appreciate the romance of being woken up by stones being thrown at my window by my boyfriend and being driven to see the sunrise and snuggling in his beautiful car," Annie informed, "next time just take me out to dinner or something? I need my beauty sleep!" Liam laughed as he playfully stroked at her auburn locks.

"I think this is one of my favourite places in the world," Liam clued-up, "being with you, being by the ocean – it's everything I love…sorry I'm not one for the whole romance thing…just a perfect way to star the day."

Annie nodded and then looked out to sea, "Did you speak to Naomi?"

"Yeah…look have you given any more thought to calling a ceasefire on the whole Teddy thing, I mean he honestly doesn't think Marco did anything, shouldn't that be enough for us?" Liam probed, he loved being with Annie but at the same time he needed his friends, Teddy had been there for Liam through all the dark times like no-one else, it didn't seem right to just abandon him because his girlfriend was feuding with Teddy's boyfriend.

"I just…I don't know what to think, the police say that the valve was faulty or something but I mean shouldn't Marco have spotted that if he was fixing the car?" Annie asked, "I'm not blaming the guy for what happened but its just weird is all, I mean I did nearly die I'm not just going to like be all friendly with the guy who was responsible for it Liam? I don't mind you seeing him but I'm just not really ready to be all pally again…I'm still pretty shaken up."

"Hey," Liam said soothingly, touching at her hair again and stroking the back of her neck lovingly, "I'm here to talk whenever you need to, Annie you need to understand that – I'm more in love with you than ever before, I want everything to be perfect…it's just hard to fully give myself over with the dark cloud looming over us like this."

"I know," she agreed, "but it's just hard…Dixon get's pretty defensive about stuff like this and Mom and Dad are well…complicated…it's just a family issue, their very protective…" she paused for a minute as she looked out to sea, "you know what let's go out for dinner – just you and me, we can clear the air…get all our feelings out in the open: no secrets."

"_No secrets." _He looked back out to sea, it was going to be a beautiful day.

. . .

"1984!" she yelled excitedly, "No wait 1992? Crap…okay 1992!"

"Is the right answer," Tom praised as he put the question card to the back of the pack, "alright for your final question when were there riots in the Paris Banlieu under Nicholas Sarkozy, 2005, 2007 or 2003?"

Silver pondered the question for a moment but then focused on her boyfriend – they'd had the exclusive conversation, they were officially a couple – he was more distant than usual, they'd been here all day pretty much, since their morning seminar quizzing one another but it wasn't boredom or tiredness, his head was in the quiz but he seemed as though the life had been sucked out of him or like someone had rained on his parade in a massive way…like a bird had taken a crap on him…he was smiling and projected a pretty good façade but she could see past it. She'd seen through Teddy and Dixon and even though he was new to her, her intuition could pick up on the signs he was fidgety, his eyes rarely made contact with hers and if they did only for a few seconds before darting away again.

"Tom is there something wrong?"

He came out of his daydream waiting for the answer and suddenly looked very under the spot and awkward – there was a secret behind his expressions, something at his core and he was worried about it: she could tell, he was worried, his whole body image and expression just radiated anxiety and preoccupation.

"No, why?"

_Denial._ Now she knew he was lying, a short, blunt answer indicated he was angry that she was prying, that she was getting under his skin, pulling him unwillingly out of his shell – she had him trapped now, he was under pressure and worried and starting to panic, his eyes were constantly on the move now and he was drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair.

"Because you seem pretty on edge and your acting all…strange, Tom you can tell me." She encouraged calmly, no reason to scare him off, calm exterior and draw it out of him, he looked unwilling and now really worried, like the deer in the headlights as the car comes ever closer to him, ready to run him down.

"Fine," he said exasperatedly, "fine Silver, look you're amazing but…but I've been a dick towards you for my own mistake, I've done something I shouldn't have, I've been manipulative and I played upon your emotions."

She cocked an eyebrow and felt a twinge somewhere deep within her, she wasn't going to like this conversation at all, "Go on." She said, her tone was more hardened and resolute now.

"Look I just…last summer I met a guy and I slept with him a bunch of times, it was just a one night thing and then I came to the campus and I met you and everything was great, and then he emails me with a bunch of pictures of us – I'm straight…it was just the heat of the summer or something," he desperately tried to reassure, "and then…he threatens me with blackmail if I don't do stuff for him, so I made friends with one of the Office Secretaries and copied yours and bunch of your other friends records to him. I thought we were done but then he said he'd tell my dad…and my dad is like a big Republic conservative Silver, if he found out that I'd slept with a guy, never mind the fact that I'm a Democrat in sympathy he'd kill me, he would actually take out one of the shotguns and kill me."

Silver was shaking with anger, she was messed up enough without being screwed with by a guy she'd met…I mean at least he'd told her why he'd been doing at the reasons were valid enough but still…and what had he even made her do…what if she'd done something irreparable…

"What did you make me do?" she demanded.

"The stuff about Teddy…they were discussing helping you and Adrianna make up but not in a bad way, in the nicest possible sense, Teddy was just going to have lunch with you both and see were you both stood and see if he could find common ground…Naomi thought that he might have a better chance since he knew you both better," he began, not making eye contact with Silver whose eyes were now blazing with fury, "and then I was meant to tell you today that Ivy and the others had been sayings things…look Silver I am so, so sorry-"

"- I don't want to hear it," she interrupted, "just tell me who's blackmailing you and then never speak to me again."

"Ian, average height, mousy brown hair…he has a House out in the Hollywood Hills."

"Thanks for the tip," she said without a trace of gratitude but loaded with loathing and hatred, "now get out of my life and never come back because I don't think I've ever almost opened my heart to such a complete dickhead."

. . .

"And you said you'd never agree to dinner!" Oscar reminded in his charming, mildly arrogant British accent, admiring Naomi who was as usual dressed in a particularly stunning number, a Victoria Beckham if he was not mistaken.

Naomi smiled mildly, "No I said I'd never agree to a date, dinner during a mission that is currently progressing somewhat well and that I will not be paying for, may I remind you," he laughed at that, "I didn't rule out – besides you promised me the best seafood in Los Angeles and I never miss up an opportunity for shellfish."

The waiter appeared carrying the enormous paella pan and depositing it before them, rich aromas floating towards them, reminding her of the sea and also that despite her miniscule figure a treat once and again was not necessarily a bad thing, she allowed Oscar to serve her a portion before he served himself one and she began eating it before looking back at him.

"I don't normally think about the _what ifs_ of my life but I have wondered Oscar what it might have been like to date you," she made eye contact with him but withdrew her hand as he reached for it, "true you were nothing but a gentleman to me but the way you acted toward Ivy whether out of mistake or true intention was completely and utterly _wrong_ – although in a way at least she's wised up a lot since what happened between you two."

Oscar nodded, "I'll admit I was an idiot Naomi, I acted wrongly and out of a mixture of grief and loathing but I'd hope to say I've matured beyond that, I know we can't be together but I must admit I was very pleased to have received your call…even if it did take you a nanosecond to make the Sherlock Homes quip."

She laughed now, "We would have been quite the couple you and I Oscar but I…" her phone was vibrating in her handbag and she picked it out, and felt surprise ripple through her as she saw the ID – SILVER – and then interest as she flicked to the text.

CAN YOU BE AT MY PLACE, I NEED TO SAY SORRY XXX?

She quickly sent of a supply and then looked at Oscar and then at her plate of food.

"Emergency?" he pre-empted, she nodded, "Go we'll do this another time, I might go and do a little twilight scouting or should that be twilight snooping, good luck."

She smiled gratefully as she grabbed her bag and swept out of the restaurant, she stopped for a moment to peck him on the cheek and then left, blowing out of the place like a well-dressed, blonde whirlwind, if Silver was going for peace it meant something.

. . .

The Los Angeles panorama from the Hollywood sign was one of the reasons he spent so much of his time up hear, it was a good place to clear his mind and purge himself of his sins – of which there were many – a place to relax and recall the best memories of his life. It was a place that was devoid of poisonous influence and was a calming environment to be within, it was also a good vantage point…he could spend hours here thinking of potential shots for films or just reflecting upon his life in general.

"I assume you're the one that called me this morning?" he asked as the newcomer arrived, a skinny individual, maybe five foot eight, maybe a little less with mousy brown hair and crystal blue eyes – he wore a fresh bruise on his face, evidently he'd been slapped in the immediate future to their conversation.

"I heard you that we have enemies in common," he produced a photo that he'd found on Facebook of the group in question, "one of them turned on me and one of them turned on me – I'm proposing an alliance to take them down."

Jasper laughed for the first time in many months – perhaps even a year and a few months – he then turned to the new arrival and regarded the boy, he recognized him from West Bev, he'd done creative arts – they'd seen each other a few times when Jasper had been recording some of the dance students for his behind the scenes project of one of their showcases towards the end of a semester.

"I haven't thought about Annie Wilson since I was beat up by her boyfriend two years ago, I've laid low and done a lot of soul-searching since then and finally centred myself and to suggest going back to who I was then?" he paused to weigh it up, "Makes far more sense than staying who I am now. Annie and I _are soulmates_," he continued emphatically, "and if someone is doing something to hurt her, then make no mistake I will be there and I will win her back."

"In that case I need you to do a little favours for me first." Ian murmured and smiled, his plans might have been derailed but he could take things out on Teddy in different ways, he was not quite finished yet. Not quite.

. . .

Hope you enjoy guys,

Final chapter coming soon,

Acrobat x


	8. Chapter 8

**90210: 2012**

_This isn't how it ends. It can't be. It's too soon, too soon._

. . .

Twelve hours earlier.

. . .

Somehow there was something so good about coming out of a seminar to your boyfriend, waiting in his car to take you to dinner, something that spurred you on to last out the boring two or three hours of someone talking at you, about something to do with the economy that you would have no hope of understanding or remembering and something that would probably never make it into any test you sat but was just one of those "_things you need to know_," that teachers always seemed to badger you about.

Marco wasn't quite running towards Teddy but it was a half-jog as he ran towards his boyfriend, flung himself into his arms and kissed him, softly on the lips before making it a little saucier – not so saucy that it was an uncomfortable PDA but suitably affectionate enough to send out a big warning to all those assembled that this was the embrace of two lovers who could well spend the rest of their lives together – like Romeo and Juliet but without the whole tragic suicide pact aspect to their relationship. They finally broke apart and moved to the car, Marco throwing his books onto the back seat and relaxing back into the passenger's seat.

"Tough seminar?" Teddy anticipated, pulling out of the space and heading out onto the road.

"Tough enough that I definitely need three," he reconsidered that statement, "make that four Margheritas and like a thousand shots of Tequila." They both laughed.

"You sure you want to go on a romantic date with your boyfriend or a mad night out in West Hollywood?" Teddy joked, he knew his boyfriend too well, partier he was – alcoholic he wasn't, a couple of glasses of wine, some good food and the company of his boyfriend and Marco was pretty content…he definitely knew his boyfriend too well.

Marco grinned, "The only good thing about that seminar was that I got an A on my assignment about ethical solutions for sustainable agriculture…god that Professor is such a bore, well they all are but he takes it to the max it's like he was born in the 60s – the 1860s," they laughed again, "so how are things with you, I haven't seen you much the past week – did you speak to Dixon or the others?"

Teddy nodded, taking a left at the crossroad, "Spoke to Silver…after she slapped Ian, saw Annie and Liam who are like head over heels for one another, it's not even like their honeymoon period after Charlie left…their like first time lovers or something…Dixon is…I don't know half the time I think it's just his pride that's keeping him from apologising and half the time I think he's just embarrassed he bought into Ian's story."

"Do the cops know about that?" Marco queried, the fact that it was highly likely Ian had drained Ivy's brake fluid and then broken the valve on it to make it look like it had liked was…unsettling.

"Sure but it's all too circumstantial for them, they haven't even interviewed him…to be honest having not heard from him makes me a little worried," Teddy voiced, "it's like he's waiting and plotting you know?"

Marco looked out towards the sun-setting on the horizon.

"He isn't going to ruin that night, he's wasted enough of your time and caused enough crap for a lifetime, he's road kill, left wasting by the roadside, I mean why would he stick around now anyway? His whole scheme fell apart."

. . .

"How is it that one, Oscar hasn't called back my hot piece of ass since I left him at that restaurant to come and make up with you," she caught Silver's disapproving look, "I mean it's great to have made up with you but two how is it that Adrianna scores a stunning news anchor, Annie and Liam are like madly in love, Ivy and Dixon are…well…clearly going to hook up again at some point – and yet you and I who are clearly the hottest out of our group are stone-cold single."

"Wait I thought you and Oscar were…?" she let the thought trail away.

"Of course we aren't," Naomi reproached, "I mean come-on look at what he did to Ivy…I mean he's not even like one-night-only materiel…I'm just worried okay? You went over to Ian's place and hit him, and then I left to come and make up with you at your place and Oscar said he'd do some _snooping_ or something and now he's gone missing…I mean what if Ian's done something, we all know he's pretty unstable."

"God you're in love aren't you?" Silver quizzed, Naomi's silence was as good as a 'yeah, sure!' would have been in the situation, "Naomi I wouldn't worry, I mean Oscar's a guy and he probably thought you were giving him a brush off, I mean I've heard of playing hard to get but you pay like diamond hard – either the guy gives you diamonds or he doesn't get you."

Naomi fake laughed at that comment.

"I'm serious I'm really worried, I've called him like six times-"

"-you're in love." Teased Silver mischievously, she was loving playing with Naomi like this, it was at the core of their friendship, mutual mockery.

"Am not," she snapped angrily, "I'm just concerned for a friend who might have been endangered by another friend's psychopathic ex-boyfriend." Naomi realized how ludicrous that would have sounded were anyone sitting near them round the pool actually listening but everyone else was asleep, enjoying the last few rays of sunlight before the city was plunged into darkness again by night and tanning hours would be over.

Silver shook her head, "Look if you're so worried maybe we should just drive up to Ian's House and see if anyone's there, would that put your mind at rest?"

Naomi nodded, "Yeah…that's be really great actually, thanks Silver."

"Don't thank me," she said straight-faced and then grinned, "just pass me the magazine let's see what our _favourite breakfast TV girl_ is purported to have gotten up to."

Naomi rolled over to look at her friend, "Are you gonna see Ade?"

"I'll see her before I take you over to Ian's…we can all go, she seemed receptive enough in her texts, maybe it's cause she made peace with Navid?" Maybe things might go back to being normal.

. . .

His room was like a fortress, inside it he was safe and secure, beyond it he was vulnerable. All around his room a maelstrom was swirling, an ever growing storm and he was safe here, he didn't have to think about it, he could just sleep and relax – it was his bedroom, the one at the apartment had never been home, here at his mom's house he could truly relax and just escape the events of the past few days. How could he have acted like that to Teddy? Been about as horrible and as much of a jerk as it was possible to be and believe the word of some guy that had done really shady things in the past over one of his oldest friends – one of his best friends.

He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to sink that low, he couldn't believe how angry he'd gotten – he could blame it on it being family and on him being worried sick about Annie and being mad in a protective brother fashion but somehow it was nothing to do with that bond he had with her, somewhere inside of him he'd wanted to believe something was wrong with Teddy, he'd wanted to make that break…there were demons inside of him that he hadn't faced, that he'd never faced. And he needed to, for Teddy's sake more than any of the others.

"Hey, can I come in?" addressed Annie's voice from the other side of the door, when he didn't reply she opened it herself and walked in and settled beside him on his bed, "It's weird being at home, weird having mom looking after me, then again with the whole broken arm thing I'm not gonna pretend it isn't good to be home."

Dixon nodded, he was waiting for what she really wanted to say to him.

"You remember when Teddy came out last year and Liam went through the period of…acclimatisation I guess you'd called it," he nodded again, "that was really hard for him, he'd hate me for saying it but I think Liam felt closest to Teddy out of all of you, Navid had the great family make-up, we were pretty comfortable, even after mom and dad started having troubles, Teddy had his dad to deal with…there was a lot of history there and Liam could relate to that.

"I mean you wouldn't believe the stuff that they talked about…then one day Teddy told us all who he really was and for Liam that was hard to accept," Annie elaborated simply, "for one thing I don't think at the time he understood the whole sexuality thing but, for another I think he felt in a way betrayed that Teddy had never confided in him about his sexuality. Dix it was okay for you to be mad at him about me, or if it wasn't about what happened, you were mislead – most of us were – but what isn't okay is keeping everything back from Teddy, he's your friend and he just wants to help."

Dixon knew his sister was right, Annie might have gone through some dark stuff in the past few years but her heart was always in the right place and on morality she was pretty flawless, she understood stuff that to Dixon was a little hard to take or to understand not for a lack of clarity but just because she was naturally intuitive in that way.

"I know, and I want to tell him but…I just don't want to say the wrong thing or…or do something to make it worse, you know?"

Annie smiled warmly at him, "Dixon I don't think you could say anything to Teddy or do anything to him that he hasn't already had done to him, you just need to air your feelings with him and make your peace," she got up and was about to leave his room when she pivoted on her heel, "me and Liam are going to the movies tonight if you wanna come with? Maybe invite Ivy?"

"That's cool but I think I'm just gonna stay here, I might call Teddy."

"Good idea." She praised, leaving her brother to himself, sometimes they'd struggled as siblings but they had an underlying bond even if it wasn't through blood, they had their good days and their bad days but they survived the trials and tribulations of their family and they would survive worse in the future, that was what bonded them so closely together.

. . .

_Blood._

He blinked a few times to clear his vision, his head was still spinning wildly and there was searing pain on his forehead where he'd been bludgeoned the night before, he tensed his arms but they were bound tight with rope and moving them too much just caused chafing, he'd clearly been dragged a little bit on the ground because he could feel cuts all over him, little grazes mostly but there was the large wound in his head that throbbed loudly, interrupting his thought processes.

In the semi-darkness of the room he could make out two figures at the other end, talking to one another in hushed tones, the taller of the two turned toward him and said something but the throbbing in his ears blocked it out and he allowed his head to droop again to avoid their gaze, his vision was returning now – he was in a garage or something, there wasn't a car but there was so much junk lying around the place and boxes full of crap. Definitely a garage.

"What do you want?" he called out.

The taller of the two now loomed out of the darkness, he had a quiff of slicked brunette hair and was oily, his complexion was dark and his eyes were heavily-lidded suggesting he hadn't slept too well, he had some piercings and followed a dark, grungy styling in his appearance.

"Nothing from you, your just a casualty of war, well except your phone," he produced it from his pocket and dangled it tantalizingly before Oscar's face, "oh wait we already have that, see we couldn't have you running around with your phone telling your little friends that Ian here had teamed up with me because well, that might just arouse some suspicions and some worries, besides I need to get rid of your friend Naomi, she's been calling you for hours and I wouldn't want her getting unduly suspicious, yet anyway."

"What are you going to do?" he asked with all the determination he could muster considering his less than optimum position.

Jasper gave a crooked smile, "Well me and Ian have some…scavenging we have to do but we'll be back, don't you worry about that." He produced the crowbar again and smacked Oscar round the head, knocking him unconscious again before turning his back on him and walking out of the room, Oscar was merely a means to an end, a means of extending their shrinking time window.

. . .

I'LL JUST GO MYSELF, IT'S FINE XXX

Naomi could be so infuriating sometimes. Silver had promised her it would just take maybe half an hour to smooth things over with Adrianna and then they would be on their way to Oscar's like the three musketeers again – plus Ivy if she fancied tagging along but Annie had mentioned already having something in store for their favourite surfer chick so Silver had decided to veto that idea. She thumbed the doorbell for Adrianna's house and waited, the door slid open revealing Ade dressed surprisingly casually for a TV starlet in a simple skirt and shirt combo, Silver just followed her quietly into the sitting room, sitting at one end of the coach as Silver sat at the other.

"Do you want a drink or something?" Adrianna asked – a mere pleasantry.

"Water would be great actually." Since she didn't have the Naomi excuse to jump ship she might as well take advantage of the hospitality, she didn't exactly know how well the conversation would go so she thought she might need the water as a distraction…or something to hold so she didn't strangle Ade – whichever suited. Adrianna was up and back with the water in a flash.

"I came…I came to say sorry, I'm sorry for what I did last year…how shadily I acted…I'm sorry for going behind your back with Navid…I'm just…" she paused to focus on holding back tears, she couldn't cry before she'd said her piece, "I ruined our friendship, jeopardized it because of a stupid temporary affection for Navid generated by my own feelings of dissatisfaction about breaking up with Teddy, last year I was in a bad place, I mean maybe it was that my medication was losing its effectiveness, coupled with Teddy coming out as gay…I needed someone to relate to, at first with Navid it was just confiding a secret here or there or something that had happened but then…it became something more…we kissed and things just escalated.

"It sounds…it sounds really horrible but you never factored into the equation," Silver admitted – she had to admit it, there could be nothing held back between them, "I was blinded by sadness over what was happening in my life and also by my own weird feeling that you deserved it – that because of how you'd acted over Javier and then how you'd treated Navid in your rise to fame that somehow what you'd done merited having that done to you. I now know that nothing ever merits being cheated on…I became everything I ever said I wouldn't be.

"I guess what I'm asking is…can you forgive someone who did something like that to you?"

Adrianna had to consider it strongly, very strongly, Silver had done bad things and there had been to a degree mitigating circumstances – Adrianna herself being one of them – and although it sounded awful Adrianna too believed in a way her actions had merited some kind of cosmic retribution…that it had arrived in as painful a form as such a personal betrayal was just circumstance. She wasn't a particular believer in karma, other than that the belief was a bitch since it always came back to bite you in the ass, but she knew somewhere she and Silver were meant to be friends. She had had success away from their friendship that was true, but, it was phantom success, without her friends she was alone and adrift, she had Alexander now but the people she mixed with in circles – those she was photographed with having lunch were not her friends, nor were her guests on her breakfast program, it was all fake, her whole world was to an extent fake. Without Silver or Naomi or Annie or Ivy or even Navid, Teddy and the guys she would lose herself…her friendships were the only things keeping the old Adrianna, the person that she wanted to be. The best parts of herself.

She simply leaned over and hugged Silver for a few minutes, and she could feel the tears pouring down her face as they both sobbed a little – in a good way, pouring out their emotions to one another, sat on her couch relaxing. She pulled apart from Silver and wiped at her eyes.

"I've missed you…I've missed you so much."

. . .

It was strange.

Teddy had been gone for like fifteen minutes to bring their car around, he'd said he'd get one of the door guys to go find Marco but he wasn't back yet…it was beyond strange actually – it was completely worrying. He couldn't feel fear yet but, there was something in his gut that was telling him that something was wrong – something must have happened, why would Teddy be late like this? He got up from his chair and moved to the door from the restaurant.

"Have you seen a tall guy, blonde hair, blue eyes, he would've gone out to get his car like fifteen minutes ago?" he asked the doorman.

"Not since then son." The doorman replied, an elderly man, Marco smiled back warmly and ducked outside maybe he'd find Teddy there? He could see the car parked simply, he strolled up to it and then looked inside…and then felt the muzzle against his head, as he focused his attention he could see Teddy lying unconscious on the backseat of the car – obviously knocked out by whoever was holding the gun.

"Get in," the voice ordered, Marco complied moving round to the other side and sitting in the driver's seat, he reached for his phone as he did so and began frantically texting, "give me the phone," the voice ordered and Marco continued to text, receiving a sharp smack to the head with the blunt side of the gun, he reluctantly handed it over, "now drive, you stop anyone or so much as do anything your boyfriend won't wake up from his dream."

Marco couldn't tell by the voice but guessed by the description he'd been given and the cold tone that this was Ian…Teddy's old flame…and somehow he steeled himself, the thoughts that a psychopath had a gun and was pointing it at his boyfriend didn't factor in, he just switched on the ignition and pulled out of the lot onto the road…driving off into the unknown.

. . .

Admittedly a BMW was not exactly the most inconspicuous mode of transport but then she hadn't been looking for a spy vehicle when she'd bought the car last year – she'd been looking for something that would get guys interested in her so she could get laid on demand: didn't everyone? She pulled up with a good vantage sight for Ian's House – no lights on, did that mean no-one was home? The click of a safety being taken off told her that she'd been mistaken, she turned and suffered a mild stroke – Jasper, Annie's stalker / one-time boyfriend drug-dealer?

"Hello Naomi, I'm going to have to ask you to get out of the car and come with me." Jasper said frighteningly calmly for someone holding a pistol in his hand.

"You're a bastard you know that." She managed to murmur before getting out of the car.

. . .

The garage was quite crowded, she could see Oscar, Liam, Teddy and Marco all tied at the four points of a plus, Teddy and Oscar were both unconscious – presumably bludgeoned by the same freak now urging her into the room, Annie was at the other side of the garage, shaking slightly, tears streaming down her face but suddenly looking mildly better for seeing Naomi, Naomi immediately ran across the room to hug her friend tightly against her, if only to get away from Jasper who was now smiling disturbingly as Ian joined him from outside.

"Alright you freaks you have us all in the garage so what do you want from us exactly?" Naomi demanded far more bravely than she felt at that point in time, maybe it would spook them into saying something they hadn't meant to…maybe she could distract them long enough to make a run for the door.

Jasper let out a shrill, menacing laugh, "Naomi I'll be honest I have nothing against you personally – I mean other than you being a stuck-up LA bitch and you having been vile to me for almost the whole of my existence at West Bev – I just couldn't leave you watching though, you might get suspicious and have called the cops on us and that would have ruined our carefully laid plans. You see me and my friend Ian both have some beef with you as a social group.

"See with Teddy it's because he didn't give Ian a second chance for a little, small, minute mistake that wasn't of any consequence and was done with the best possible intentions," he gestured with the gun now toward Liam, "with me it's that you all turned Annie against me, poisoned her mind with lies – we were soul mates, we were going to be together," he shouted the next word, "forever. And then suddenly she fell for you Liam and then you beat me up for blowing up your boat and I was sore but I went away for a few years to bide my time, pretend that they'd brainwashed me into being the perfect citizen but I stuck to my guns.

"And now I have you at my mercy Liam but I would never want to hurt Annie and she has a misguided bond for you – so Annie I'll spare Liam's life in exchange for you coming with me now, we can drive to Mexico and be married before dawn, and you can save Liam's life, what do you say?"

"It wasn't with good intentions," yelled Marco at the top of his lungs, "you were a bastard to him, you outed him when he wasn't ready – you're a monster." Marco let out a scream as the bullet ploughed into his right thigh, Naomi let out a high pitched scream.

"Well I'm afraid you've made me rather angry," Ian murmured smiling as he admired his handy work, "now I'm afraid Jasper here might be quite willing to let Liam live but that would mean the hassle of untying him and I mean Annie isn't really in a position to say no to him, so I'm going to coat this whole place in gasoline – then one match and poof everybody dies, perfectly dramatic don't you think? Naomi get over by the guys." He gestured with a pistol, handing it over to Dixon as he moved in and tied Naomi up with them. Jasper wrapped Annie's hands with rope and then peeled duct tape over her mouth and handed one of the cans of gasoline to Ian and they set about circling the garage with petrol and then spraying the excess over the five sat at the centre of the room.

"Ian," Naomi pleaded, "Ian please don't – your not like him, you don't have to do this."

"Actually I do – I had my life turned upside down, don't act like you know who I am Naomi – the moment I made my mistake your entire group closed ranks to protect your precious Teddy and nobody thought, _hey Ian might feel like crap for what he did, why don't we go see how he is? _Everything that I have done up to this point was caused by you – caused by all of you." Ian said, he turned to Jasper who was man-handling Annie out of the room. He struck a single match, let it burn for a few seconds then dropped it onto the gasoline and let the flames spread around the room before shutting the door.

. . .

_This isn't how it ends. It can't be. It's too soon, too soon._

_I haven't told her that she's the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with, I haven't told her that I want to marry her and want to live in a house with a white picket fence and live the domestic dream and have kids and grow old together and be the perfect couple, I want us to be together till our dying days and then live on together once we pass out of this world. She's my everything and she'll never know because she's with that jerk._

"Liam, hey Liam, my back pocket," Marco was saying, swearing every so often, presumably due to the pain of his leg, "I have a Swiss Army Knife, see if you can reach it." Liam strained and picked it out, flicking out to a knife and began sawing vigorously at the bonds that tied them, they began loosening apart from one another and with a heave he broke them.

"Okay," Liam said, "Naomi you help Marco out because I don't know if he can walk too well, and get him out, I'll get Teddy and Oscar."

"Liam you'll never be able to carry them both unconscious like that," Naomi reasoned desperately.

"Just go, I'll manage." He said coolly.

Naomi hooked Marco's arm around her neck and let him put his weight on her, there was blood pouring out of his wound know as she lifted him out of the garage and up the stairs, heaving him up into the house and then out of the front door, she looked for her phone and swore, darting back down to the garage and grabbing it, seeing Liam dragging an unconscious Oscar slowly out of the room, she grabbed her phone and gestured for him to go get Teddy. She entered 911, ringing first for an ambulance, then the police and then the fire service, she heaved Oscar out of the house and relaxed. And then she was flying through the air, her face was impacting the grass and the noise of an explosion was ringing in her ears as the house exploded in flames.

. . .

Twelve Hours Later.

. . .

"It was a dramatic night in Los Angeles last night as not one, but too criminals were apprehended by officers, one attempting to flee to Mexico with a hostage and the other at LA X Airport, trying to board a flight to London," Alexander enunciated clearly into the camera, "some of the things that go on here are craaaaaaaaaaaaaazy."

Adrianna smiled and nodded, "But if you think that's crazy then you clearly haven't heard but Justin Bieber proposed to long-time girlfriend Selena Gomez last night at the tender age of eighteen – are they a couple heading for marital bliss – they're here with an exclusive interview next."

Teddy smiled at the interview as he sat beside Marco's bed, his boyfriend was in a bad way but getting better, he was sleeping – the anaesthetic probably – because if he realized the pain of the operation he'd gone through to get the bullet removed from his leg then he would be awake and screaming a lot worse than Teddy had ever heard him scream before. A familiar face appeared at the door – Dixon – and he stood up to go and speak to him.

"Hey man, I guess we need to talk – I can come back later though if it's not a good time…" he said eyeing up Marco, completely knocked out on the bed, sleeping of the worst of the operation…this conversation could wait…or could it…maybe he just needed to bite the bullet.

Teddy shook his head, "It's fine, let's talk what's up?"

"I'm sorry…for believing Ian's story over yours, I should've known he was lying and he was being shady but I just bought into it-"

"-it's cool man." Teddy reassured.

"There you go…being all nice again," Teddy gave him a perplexed look, "it's not a bad thing man…actually it's a great thing T…it's what's good about you, it's why I'm so glad I'm friends with you and why I need to say what I have to because otherwise it's gonna eat me up inside," Teddy looked even more confused now, "I'm not proud of it but in a way I think somehow, subconsciously I wanted to believe that Marco had done something wrong, and that by you denying it you'd done something wrong too.

"I could try and blame it all on just being overprotective of my sister but it wasn't like that man…it wasn't like that at all, I wasn't doing it out of bravado but I somehow wanted you to…I guess it comes from the fact that although I'm like completely okay with you being gay and completely happy with you the way you are, and I'm happy your happy…I'm just…it's weird for me. I guess I was lying to myself to think that I could just accept it, I mean I'm fine with gay people but somehow when it's someone close to you it feels like, as wrong as it sounds there's a different set of rules."

Teddy nodded, "Dix I'm glad you could talk to me, if you feel awkward about something just tell me, I mean I'm still new to this too you know? But if you have a problem or you feel uncomfortable it's always better to say something to me but I'm glad you told me man, it's been hard for us all trust me, we cool?"

Dixon nodded, he felt content at last. And then he passed Ivy in the hallway, and she smiled at him and he turned, he needed to talk to her.

. . .

He looked like a lovesick puppy, he was the only one there who wasn't in a couple, she'd seen the way Naomi was looking at Oscar and if they weren't a couple by the end of the day then she'd be incredibly surprised, and Silver had just come out of a relationship so she was making an extended trip to single-town, Adrianna had been watching Navid for a while, she felt for him in a way and she knew exactly what she had to do.

"Hey, look, I know you're still hurting about us…ending but, I was thinking, there's this job at our studio for a Segment Editor – and I thought since it's you know your field of speciality I thought I'd put your name in the ring for it, Navid you need something to distract you and it'll look really good on your resume to have worked at that kind of position, Navid…talk to me?"

He turned toward her, "Thanks Ade…even when we aren't together your still looking out for me, it's just strange is all – that we might work together, but…but thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, I have a request, in exchange speak to Silver, she might not believe it, you might not but you two are still in love, your meant for one another, you just haven't given in to the possibility and neither had I until recently, but things just cleared up a lot."

"You really think I have a shot?" he asked.

"I know," she replied affirmatively, "it's love."

. . .

"Dinner? I thought we didn't do dinner." Ivy laughed.

"Maybe we don't do dinner, but maybe I do dinner, you come and we talk about how I've been a crappy boyfriend and how we need to spend more time together, and I need to start spending time paying attention to your needs?" Dixon suggested.

Ivy gave him a reproachful look, "You talk about my needs again Dixon and I won't be your girlfriend for much longer, okay?"

Dixon nodded, "Yes m'am." He pecked her on the lips – everything was falling back into place again.

. . .

Annie had been looking out across the city for most of the night and morning, waiting for Liam to wake up, the Doctor had put him under to help him sleep and help his body heal, with a few coughs – probably the smoke inhalation – he came around and smiled at her, reaching out his hand for her to embrace. She settled in a seat beside the bed.

"You're awake, I'm glad, you had me worried."

He just beamed at her.

"What, do I have something on my face?"

Now he laughed.

"It's nothing, it's just…your beautiful you know that? All that was going through my head as I was sat in the garage will you were driving of to Mexico or wherever was all that I never got to say to you, Annie your perfect…you're…you're the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with," he paused as he considered carefully what he was about to say, "it isn't exactly the best circumstances but Annie…Annie I want to marry you, _I want to get married and spend the rest of my life with you_."

. . .

Hope you like the ending,

This is the end of 90210: 2012,

But is it the start of a series?

Acrobat

X

?


End file.
